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Roth, Ruth Esther (1921-2004)
Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 Mar 1 p. 10
Birth date: 1921 Apr 29
text of obituary:
By AIMM News Service
ELKHART, Ind. — Ruth Esther Roth, a missionary in Congo for 32 years, died Feb. 7 in Fresno, Calif., where she was visiting family. She was 82.
Roth and her husband, Earl, served with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission from 1954, when it was still known as Congo Inland Mission, to 1986. They were sent by the General Conference Mennonite Church.
Roth taught in the Congo Mennonite Church high school at Nyanga and in the Industrial School at Ndjoko Punda, and directed the Bible School at Mukedi.
Her main concern was for people to come to know the Lord and to grow strong in faith. She felt great joy as she saw graduates of the Bible school teaching in the villages as catechists and being strong for Christ. Working with w3omen in the church brought her great satisfaction. She also served as assistant treasurer.
Roth showed determination and courage when independence came to Congo as her family was scheduled to return for a second term. Because the violent situation was not conducive to having young children there, some missionary men, including Earl Roth, went back to Africa while their families remained in North America. Though Ruth Roth was anxious to return to Congo, she waited patiently for when the whole family could go back.
Coming back to North America in 1986, she supported her husband in his role as executive secretary of AIMM until 1993 and made her own contributions. She was a cheerful, tireless volunteer, a strong prayer supporter and profoundly loyal to AIMM. She was a surrogate grandmother to misionary [sic] children whose grandparents were far away.
She was born April 29, 1921, in Paso Robles, Calif.
She was a member of Silverwood Mennonite Church in Goshen.
She is survived by her husband, Earl; a daughter, Yvonne Smith; two sons, Loren and Mark; and four grandsons.
A memorial service was held at Silverwood. Burial was at Pririe Street Cemetery in Elkhart.
