Ruth I. Holliday, 94, of Mulberry, passed away on Saturday, January 20, 2018, at Mulberry Health.
She was born June 30, 1923, in Perry Township, Tippecanoe County, to the late Roy P. and Laura E. Ehresman Walker. On October 5, 1974, she married Ervin O. Holliday at the Fair Haven Lutheran Church north of Mulberry; he preceded her in death on October 10, 1994.
Ruth graduated from Monitor High School in 1941, received her B.S. in Liberal Arts from Purdue University in 1945 as a member of the School of Liberal Arts second class graduating women, and achieved her master’s degree in education from New York University in 1948. While a student at New York University, Ruth worked in all five boroughs under scholarship with the New York City Mission Society. Before retiring in December of 1971 from her employment with the Lutheran Church in America, she served from 1963 to 1971 as an educational missionary in Guyana, South American. She had previously been employed as Director of Christian Education at churches in Upper Montclair, N.J. and Jackson, Michigan, and as a counselor to Lutheran students at the University of Minnesota at the Duluth Campus. Since moving back to Mulberry in 1994, Ruth was a member of Gloria Dei Evangelical Lutheran Church where she was active in the Women of the ELCA. She was also a member of Church Women United and volunteered at the Mulberry Health.
Surviving Ruth are niece, Joann (Douglas) Shields, of rural Lafayette; two great-nephews, Robinson (Julie) Shields and Nicholas Shields; three great-nieces, Jennifer (Chad) Koser, Debra (Tony) Lauderdale, and Sarah Reimert; three great-great-nephews, and great-great-niece.
In addition to her husband, Ruth is preceded in death by her brother, Kenneth R. Walker; nephew, Robert Walker; niece, Susan Jansen; and great-great-niece, Cierra Lauderdale.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 26, 2018, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Mulberry, from 11:00 a.m. to the start of the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. Rev. Mike Crawford and Pastor Sharon Walker will officiate. Burial will follow in Rossville Cemetery. Memorials in Ruth’s name may be made to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church or charity of the donor’s choice. Arrangements are entrusted to Genda Funeral Home Mulberry Chapel with online condolences being directed to www.gendafuneralhome.com.