Mary Ruth Speer Messmore, surrounded by her family, passed away at 11:25 p.m. on January 8, 2015 at Friendship Manor Silver Cross Nursing Home in Rock Island, IL.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 17, at 10 A.M., with a funeral service immediately following, at noon, at DeRoo Funeral Home, Moline. Burial will take place at a later date at Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island.
Mary Ruth was born on January 17, 1927 in Yates City, IL. She grew up on her parents' farm near Yates City where she attended elementary and high school. She graduated from Yates City High School in 1945. During World War II she helped her parents, Mabel Wood Speer and Clinton Speer, tend to their 160 acre farm while her brothers, William and Theodore (Billy and Ted), served in the armed forces. Mary Ruth then attended and graduated from Western Illinois University in 1949, after which she became a teacher at R.O. W.V.A. Junior High School in Altona, IL. She met her future husband and lifelong companion, Merton D. Messmore, in Altona, in 1949. They married on August 13, 1950, although Mert had not yet graduated from Monmouth College. Before Mert's graduation, Mary Ruth taught at a one -room country school called Muddy Corners, between Monmouth and Galesburg. During the rest of her career as a teacher she taught the elementary, junior high, and high school levels at various times in Kewanee, Galesburg, R.O.W.V.A., and Auburn school systems.
She and Mert had six children, sons Stanlee (Char), Jack (Marsha), Joel (Diane), Mick (deceased), and daughters Lisa Wood (Dan), and Alyson Messmore (Danny). Mary Ruth continued to teach while her children grew up and all attended college. She retired from teaching in 1987, and with Mert, enjoyed 27 years of retirement, traveling and spending many wonderful times with her children, 16 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
She dearly loved Merton, and all of her children, grandchildren, their spouses, and great-grandchildren, and willingly made many sacrifices for their success and well-being. She most definitely has earned her tenure in heaven with the Lord and all the Angels.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 17, at 10 A.M., with a funeral service immediately following, at noon, at DeRoo Funeral Home, Moline. Burial will take place at a later date at Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island.
Mary Ruth was born on January 17, 1927 in Yates City, IL. She grew up on her parents' farm near Yates City where she attended elementary and high school. She graduated from Yates City High School in 1945. During World War II she helped her parents, Mabel Wood Speer and Clinton Speer, tend to their 160 acre farm while her brothers, William and Theodore (Billy and Ted), served in the armed forces. Mary Ruth then attended and graduated from Western Illinois University in 1949, after which she became a teacher at R.O. W.V.A. Junior High School in Altona, IL. She met her future husband and lifelong companion, Merton D. Messmore, in Altona, in 1949. They married on August 13, 1950, although Mert had not yet graduated from Monmouth College. Before Mert's graduation, Mary Ruth taught at a one -room country school called Muddy Corners, between Monmouth and Galesburg. During the rest of her career as a teacher she taught the elementary, junior high, and high school levels at various times in Kewanee, Galesburg, R.O.W.V.A., and Auburn school systems.
She and Mert had six children, sons Stanlee (Char), Jack (Marsha), Joel (Diane), Mick (deceased), and daughters Lisa Wood (Dan), and Alyson Messmore (Danny). Mary Ruth continued to teach while her children grew up and all attended college. She retired from teaching in 1987, and with Mert, enjoyed 27 years of retirement, traveling and spending many wonderful times with her children, 16 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
She dearly loved Merton, and all of her children, grandchildren, their spouses, and great-grandchildren, and willingly made many sacrifices for their success and well-being. She most definitely has earned her tenure in heaven with the Lord and all the Angels.
Mary Ruth Speer Messmore, surrounded by her family, passed away at 11:25 p.m. on January 8, 2015 at Friendship Manor Silver Cross Nursing Home in Rock Island, IL.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 17, at 10 A.M., with a funeral service immediately following, at noon, at DeRoo Funeral Home, Moline. Burial will take place at a later date at Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island.
Mary Ruth was born on January 17, 1927 in Yates City, IL. She grew up on her parents' farm near Yates City where she attended elementary and high school. She graduated from Yates City High School in 1945. During World War II she helped her parents, Mabel Wood Speer and Clinton Speer, tend to their 160 acre farm while her brothers, William and Theodore (Billy and Ted), served in the armed forces. Mary Ruth then attended and graduated from Western Illinois University in 1949, after which she became a teacher at R.O. W.V.A. Junior High School in Altona, IL. She met her future husband and lifelong companion, Merton D. Messmore, in Altona, in 1949. They married on August 13, 1950, although Mert had not yet graduated from Monmouth College. Before Mert's graduation, Mary Ruth taught at a one -room country school called Muddy Corners, between Monmouth and Galesburg. During the rest of her career as a teacher she taught the elementary, junior high, and high school levels at various times in Kewanee, Galesburg, R.O.W.V.A., and Auburn school systems.
She and Mert had six children, sons Stanlee (Char), Jack (Marsha), Joel (Diane), Mick (deceased), and daughters Lisa Wood (Dan), and Alyson Messmore (Danny). Mary Ruth continued to teach while her children grew up and all attended college. She retired from teaching in 1987, and with Mert, enjoyed 27 years of retirement, traveling and spending many wonderful times with her children, 16 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
She dearly loved Merton, and all of her children, grandchildren, their spouses, and great-grandchildren, and willingly made many sacrifices for their success and well-being. She most definitely has earned her tenure in heaven with the Lord and all the Angels.
Visitation will be Saturday, January 17, at 10 A.M., with a funeral service immediately following, at noon, at DeRoo Funeral Home, Moline. Burial will take place at a later date at Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island.
Mary Ruth was born on January 17, 1927 in Yates City, IL. She grew up on her parents' farm near Yates City where she attended elementary and high school. She graduated from Yates City High School in 1945. During World War II she helped her parents, Mabel Wood Speer and Clinton Speer, tend to their 160 acre farm while her brothers, William and Theodore (Billy and Ted), served in the armed forces. Mary Ruth then attended and graduated from Western Illinois University in 1949, after which she became a teacher at R.O. W.V.A. Junior High School in Altona, IL. She met her future husband and lifelong companion, Merton D. Messmore, in Altona, in 1949. They married on August 13, 1950, although Mert had not yet graduated from Monmouth College. Before Mert's graduation, Mary Ruth taught at a one -room country school called Muddy Corners, between Monmouth and Galesburg. During the rest of her career as a teacher she taught the elementary, junior high, and high school levels at various times in Kewanee, Galesburg, R.O.W.V.A., and Auburn school systems.
She and Mert had six children, sons Stanlee (Char), Jack (Marsha), Joel (Diane), Mick (deceased), and daughters Lisa Wood (Dan), and Alyson Messmore (Danny). Mary Ruth continued to teach while her children grew up and all attended college. She retired from teaching in 1987, and with Mert, enjoyed 27 years of retirement, traveling and spending many wonderful times with her children, 16 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
She dearly loved Merton, and all of her children, grandchildren, their spouses, and great-grandchildren, and willingly made many sacrifices for their success and well-being. She most definitely has earned her tenure in heaven with the Lord and all the Angels.
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