Ruth Emma Gilman (2006)

GILMAN, SPEAR, MAPES, PIPER, CLARK, MCDOWALL, WHITEIS

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 1/5/2008 at 08:59:04

Earlham Library Obituary Collection
Earlham, Iowa
March 2006

Ruth Emma Gilman

Ruth Emma Gilman was the daughter of Festus A. and Lois M. (Spear) Mapes. She was born August 18, 1921 on the family farm near Earlham, Iowa, the youngest of three daughters. Ruth died at Community Care Center in Stuart, Iowa, on March 27, 2006 at the age of 84. She is survived by her husband, children and their families, and two beloved sisters, Francis Piper and Irene Gilman.

After going to the country school through 8th grade, Ruth attended Earlham high school and graduated with the class of 1939. While there, she made four very special friends, Sheryl Junkin Bobst, Phyllis Willrich Piatt, Helen Maxwell Millett and Dorothy Moreland Mock. Throughout all of the following years, they've kept in touch with a round robin letter. For the next two years, Ruth worked as a housekeeper for the Keck family in Des Moines.

On November 15, 1941 she married her high school sweetheart, Carl E. Gilman. They spent the next 64 years together. Carl and Ruth lived in the "honeymoon cottage" until February 24, 1942 when they moved and became the 3rd generation to live on the family farmstead, five miles southwest of Stuart. They had three children, Millie, Craig and sixteen years later, surprise--Cary arrived. He would say saving the best for last. Joining the family when Cary was a teenager were Rusty and Ron Clark.

In 1986, Cary took over the farming operation and moved to the farmstead in 1987 with his wife Rochelle, becoming the 4th generation to live and farm there.

Carl and Ruth belonged to the Jefferson Center United Methodist Church. Ruth's faith was very important to her and she was an enthusiastic member in church activities. Teaching Sunday school, singing praises to the Lord and sharing flowers from her garden for the altar gave her great pleasure.

Ruth's special interests as the kids were growing up were gardening, all youth activities, going to dog trials with Carl, county fairs and her very favorite, the Iowa State Fair. Everyone still enjoys all of the pictures that Ruth took of family activities.

In her later years she enjoyed her poem club, photography and volunteering at the Community Care Center. Ruth was a wonderful poet. Her poems became somewhat of a chronicle of her life as she wrote about her childhood, family, friends, love of nature and even a favorite family border collie named King. She was also a fine photographer and had many of her delightful photos accepted into the Iowa State Fair.

In 1996, Ruth had a severe stroke that left her paralyzed on her right side. After spending a few months at the Care Center, she was able to return home. Esther Mapes was an enormous help to Carl and Ruth while Ruth was at home for the next seven years. Esther was a patient, loving friend to both of them, helping out in anyway that she was able. As time went on, Ruth needed more help and returned to the Care Center for the last two years of her life.

Ruth had a special place in her heart for her grandchildren Ethan and Leah Gilman, Kelly (Marnie) McDowall, Mindi (Bob) Whiteis and great-grandchildren Klay and Claire McDowall and Samantha and Will Whiteis.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, March 30, 2006 at Stuart-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, with Rev. Kathy Sides officiating. Rev. Sides sang "Gift of Love". The congregation sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness" and "To God Be the Glory". Other hyms included "Oh, For 1000 Tongues to Sing" and "Jesus is All the World to Me". Janna Nelson provided the organ accompaniment.

Serving as casket bearers were Kelly McDowall, Everett Shepherd, Ethan Gilman, Kenneth Gilman, Wayne Gilman and Ben Gilman. Honorary bearers included Gene Kading, George Shepherd, Marlin Gilman, Roger Gilman and Howard Gilman.

The committal service and interment were at South Oak Grove Cemetery, Stuart, Iowa.

Professional services by Ruppert Funeral Home of Stuart.