Ruth Elgelina Atterbury Hollings was born December 25, 1919 in Holiday Missouri to John Edward and Laura Bess (Kipper) Atterbury and went to Heaven on February 20, 2016. Her ancestors were among the early settlers in Howard and Monroe Counties of Missouri.
To all of her Missouri friends and family, she was known as Elge, short for her middle name of Elgelina.
She graduated from Holiday High School in 1937 and from Truman University (then known as the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1944. She went on to teach in one room rural schools of Cross Hollow, Turner, Casey College and Callis in Monroe County, MO.
During WWII, she followed her cousin, Bonnie Ransdell, to Des Moines, Iowa where she worked in Cost Accounting at the Des Moines Ordinance Plant for one year. After the war ended, she went to work in accounting at Green Bay Lumber Company.
She married Carroll Leslie Hollings on October 14, 1949 at Central Christian Church in Des Moines, Iowa.
Ruth and Carroll had four daughters; Vicki, Sherri, Cindi and Kim. In 1964 the family moved to Urbandale, Iowa.
She was an accomplished genealogist and served on the Iowa Genealogical Society board during its beginning years. Her family genealogical papers have been passed on to Vicki who will continue the work started by her mother.
Ruth was a highly skilled seamstress, as were her mother, grandmother and great-great grandmother. She made many of her children's clothes as well as bridemaids' dresses for Vicki's wedding.
She was predeceased by Carroll in 1992 and her sister Mary Bettie Keller in 2007; Sherri in 2009; granddaughter, Jessica Stinson in2003; son-in-laws, Greg Stinson in 2004 and Greg Beidler in 2008.
Ruth is survived by her loving daughters Vicki Stinson (who was her live-in caregiver for 12 years), Cindi Beidler (Pahao HI) and Kim Meador (Urbandale). She was the proud grandmother of Andrea (Scott) Powers, Angie (Ryan) Hervey and Michelle (Aaron) Goldstein. Ruth was great grandmother to Dylan and Andrew Powers*; Tyndal, Ilsa and Edith Hervey; Shirah, Josiah and Benjamin* Goldstein.
Ruth was the most kind, loving, generous woman and she will be missed forever by her family. If there can be angels on earth, Ruth was one.
Services will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, February 25, 2016 at the Iles Westover Chapel, with visitation Wednesday, February 24th from 4-6:00 p.m. Burial in Glendale Cemetery.
* these grandchildren were born after Ruth's death
Obituary & photo published by Westover Funeral Home
MOTHER
You may own a million dollars,
But you're, are the poorest in the land
if you don't have your beloved Mom
to clasp your lonely hand.
Though her smile is gone forever
and her hand you cannot touch
still we have many memories
of our Mom we loved so much.
Ruth Elgelina Atterbury Hollings was born December 25, 1919 in Holiday Missouri to John Edward and Laura Bess (Kipper) Atterbury and went to Heaven on February 20, 2016. Her ancestors were among the early settlers in Howard and Monroe Counties of Missouri.
To all of her Missouri friends and family, she was known as Elge, short for her middle name of Elgelina.
She graduated from Holiday High School in 1937 and from Truman University (then known as the Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1944. She went on to teach in one room rural schools of Cross Hollow, Turner, Casey College and Callis in Monroe County, MO.
During WWII, she followed her cousin, Bonnie Ransdell, to Des Moines, Iowa where she worked in Cost Accounting at the Des Moines Ordinance Plant for one year. After the war ended, she went to work in accounting at Green Bay Lumber Company.
She married Carroll Leslie Hollings on October 14, 1949 at Central Christian Church in Des Moines, Iowa.
Ruth and Carroll had four daughters; Vicki, Sherri, Cindi and Kim. In 1964 the family moved to Urbandale, Iowa.
She was an accomplished genealogist and served on the Iowa Genealogical Society board during its beginning years. Her family genealogical papers have been passed on to Vicki who will continue the work started by her mother.
Ruth was a highly skilled seamstress, as were her mother, grandmother and great-great grandmother. She made many of her children's clothes as well as bridemaids' dresses for Vicki's wedding.
She was predeceased by Carroll in 1992 and her sister Mary Bettie Keller in 2007; Sherri in 2009; granddaughter, Jessica Stinson in2003; son-in-laws, Greg Stinson in 2004 and Greg Beidler in 2008.
Ruth is survived by her loving daughters Vicki Stinson (who was her live-in caregiver for 12 years), Cindi Beidler (Pahao HI) and Kim Meador (Urbandale). She was the proud grandmother of Andrea (Scott) Powers, Angie (Ryan) Hervey and Michelle (Aaron) Goldstein. Ruth was great grandmother to Dylan and Andrew Powers*; Tyndal, Ilsa and Edith Hervey; Shirah, Josiah and Benjamin* Goldstein.
Ruth was the most kind, loving, generous woman and she will be missed forever by her family. If there can be angels on earth, Ruth was one.
Services will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, February 25, 2016 at the Iles Westover Chapel, with visitation Wednesday, February 24th from 4-6:00 p.m. Burial in Glendale Cemetery.
* these grandchildren were born after Ruth's death
Obituary & photo published by Westover Funeral Home
MOTHER
You may own a million dollars,
But you're, are the poorest in the land
if you don't have your beloved Mom
to clasp your lonely hand.
Though her smile is gone forever
and her hand you cannot touch
still we have many memories
of our Mom we loved so much.
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Parents of Vicki, Sherri, Cindi and Kim
