Ruth Sparrow passed peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, July 18, at the age of 92. Ruth was born October 31, 1917, the fourth of six children of Harry and Bessie Sparrow of Lomax, Illinois. Ruth lived the last 12 years with her sister, Mary Porter, at Vista del Monte.
Niece, Linda Sparrow Foo, states, "Ruth was a hard worker, devoted to helping others, and she set a good example with her integrity and truth. She lived her faith."
Ruth worked in Civil Service as a secretary at Letterkenny Ordnance Depot in Pennsylvania and at the Iowa Ordnance Plant in Burlington, Iowa. She then worked for 23 years as secretarial assistant to the head of the Free Methodist Publishing House in Winona Lake, Indiana. During that time she took full care of her parents and also completely restored a three story stone house that is included in the Indiana Historical Register.
In her early childhood, Ruth attended the one-room Tiwappity School where her father had attended and where later her mother taught. After high school graduation she attended Western Illinois University and later graduated from the Burlington Business College of Burlington, Iowa. Ruth spent many years working on family genealogy, edited a book for publication, taught ESL to people from China, loved to cook, loved to entertain, gave wonderful book reviews for her book club and was an excellent secretary. Ruth was a favorite aunt for her many nieces and nephews. Ruth is a member of Goleta Presbyterian Church.
Ruth is survived by her sister, Mary Porter of Santa Barbara, her brother Walter Sparrow of Greeley, Colorado, her Santa Barbara family of niece, Lyn Carman, great-nieces Pat Carman, Laurie von Melchner, Maire Radis, and great-nephew, Eric Carman and many, many other nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held for Ruth at Vista del Monte on Saturday, September 4th at 2 p.m. Her funeral will be held at the Nazarene Church in Lomax, Illinois, on Saturday, September 18 at 2 p.m. Rev. John Bremer will officiate. Burial will be in the Crane Cemetery near Lomax. Condolences may be left at www.banksandbeals.com.