Ruth passed away surrounded by her loving family on August 25, 2022 at the age of 87. The daughter of the late John B. Hartman and Genevieve Southard Hartman. She is predeceased by siblings Joseph, John, Ted, Bill, Fred and Lester Hartman, Jenny Comfort, Emma Gardner and Clara McNeil and her Grandson Lawrence Charles Radford. Ruth was widowed in 1972 when her husband Lawrence John Radford Jr. passed away.

Ruth is survived by her brother Ernie (Shelia) Hartman
Son Harry (Jackie) Radford Grand Daughter Elizabeth Great Grandsons Josh & Haven, Grandson Aaron, Grandson Jordan (Christine) Great Grandson Riley, Great Grand Daughter Charlotte
Son William Radford, Grandsons Matthew, John (Shannon) Great Grand Children Kennedy and Jackson
Daughter Bonnie Markell, Grand Daughter Tanya (Bill) Great Grandsons Alex & Dylan
Grand Daughter Jessica (Barry) Houck
Daughter Ruth aka Annie (Dave) Wilcox, Grand Son Eric (Angela) Great Grandson Tyler, Great Grand Daughter Ellie
Daughter Laurie Ripley, Grand Daughter Stacy, Great Grand Daughter Alexis (Eathan)
Great Great Grandchildren Izik & Adeline, Great Grand Daughter Amanda (Robert) Great Great Grandsons Weston, Waylon, Grandson Steven (Justine) Great Grand Daughter Faith, Grand Daughter Emily (Tim) Great Grand Daughter Bella
Son James (Barbara) Radford, Grand Daughter Vicky Great Grand Son Zack, Great Grand Daughter Kaitlin (AJ) Great Great Grandson Jayce, Grand Daughter Heather, Grand Daughter Katie Great Grandson Kaleb
Daughter Dawn (Ron) Nagy Grand Daughter Rachel
Daughter Brenda (Paul) Praschunus Grand Son Derek (Brittany) Grand Son Andrew
Son Paul (Trina) Radford, Grandson Jesse (Nikki) Great Grand Children Luke,Maddie, Aiden, & Emma, Grandson Jason, Grand Daughter Shaina

Ruth was a 1953 Graduate of Horseheads Central School. She worked at Artistic Greeting to pay for her books to be able to finish high school at a time when many did not. Ruth had a strong relationship with God and faith in Jesus Christ. She prayed for everyone and everything. She was a strong, kind, loving person who would do anything for anyone. She always put others before herself . God and family were her top priorities. She worked tirelessly at home and at Church. She enjoyed caring for her community and led others to do the same. We learned to feed others by volunteering at the Big Flats American Legion preparing meals along side our Mother for countless dinners. Ruth also prepared countless meals for our neighbors and relatives. All where welcome at our dinner table. We learned charity by helping her to fill stockings for orphans, and helping our neighbors and family. We went to church every Sunday as a family and then home to a large Sunday dinner. We often had relatives joining us. Ruth married Larry who built their home in Catlin where Ruth was named Senior Citizen of the Year. She was 67 at the time and had been active at the Full Gospel Church of Catlin leading Cancer drives, cleaning and caring for the church and was the President of the Ladies Mission, which worked with children and funding for low income areas. She was well know as Mom Radford as she was like a mother to all neighbors, friends and family. Larry passed away in 1972 and Ruth did not drive and was a full-time plus homemaker for Larry and their 9 children. She quickly learned how to drive and went to work at the Huck Finn Motel. Ruth check guest in and out, ran the coffee shop, ordered supplies needed, cleaned rooms and balance the books. There was nothing she could not do. In trying to narrow down her profession we could not come up with a common title but Wonder Woman has nothing on our Mom.

No more shoes to be thrown. If this confuses you, most likely you never stayed in our home. Keep reading you will understand. Our Mother had faith that could move mountains. She loved with her whole heart. She truly gave all to everyone. She was the most selfless person one could know. She would feed everyone in the room before thinking of herself. She would give everything she had to assure no-one else was in need. Church on Sundays, Sunday dinners, Holidays and Family gatherings were most important to her. Her Sunday dinners and Christmas pies were the best you could have. Ruth taught her children how to take care of themselves and to care for others. She taught us how to be strong and have great faith in everything we did.

Ruth took her children on Sunday drives throughout the countryside, stopping for long walks through the woods where she would educate them on every plant and their uses. She could easily identify every animal as well. Our Sunday drive often ended at Ruth's parents home John and Genevieve Hartman where her children would meet with many cousins and Aunts and Uncles.

Back to the shoes…in the day of the rotary phone our Mom, Aunt Ruth, or Grandma or Mom Radford could only go so far before the phone cord ran out. With 9 children and countless friends and cousins we would get too loud. She would remind us to keep it down and then that sound of something projected at you would be so swift you felt the shoe before you heard it coming. She had precise accuracy with her shoes and would have been a great addition to any sniper team for sure. Occasionally she would make contact with the wrong child but most likely they had it coming.

Christmas was a magical time in our house. When her children were young Ruth and Larry would wait until they were all in bed and then bring in and decorate the tree, place the presents under it, put out all of the candies and stockings. The tree would be perfect with every icicle perfectly straight and every ornament perfectly placed. We would awaken to the smells of the turkey cooking and the aroma of all the wonderful pies from the day before still hung in the air. We were allowed to take our stockings and she would always make us eat at least the tangerine placed in the toe as she knew that was all we would eat prior to opening presents. The smell of the freshly cut tree and freshly peeled orange will always bring back these wonderful memories. Her children have so many wonderful memories of Ruth's wonderful actions throughout her life. Just like George Bailey in the beloved movie It's A Wonderful Life Ruth truly was the richest woman in town! She will be forever in the hearts and minds of those who were lucky enough to know her.

There will be a Memorial Committal Service for Ruth at Rural Home Cemetery, Big Flats, NY on Sunday, September 4, 2022 at 2pm followed by a Celebration of Life at the Big Flats American Legion. Those wishing to remember Ruth please consider donating to an organization of your choice in Ruth's memory one of her favorites was The Arctic League. The family would like to offer a special thank you to JoAnne and Pam for their support and care of our mom.