Dick, Ruth Lawrence (1913-2004)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2004 May 10 p. 2; 2004 May 12 p. 2; 2004 May 18 p. 2

Birth date: 1913 Jul 5

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 May 24 p. 8

text of obituary:

RUTH DICK

Ruth Lawrence Dick, 90, of Newton, Kan., died May 7, 2004. She was born July 5, 1913, to Russell and Lavina Barton Lawrence in Larned.

She graduated from Hutchinson Junior College in 1933, and Baker University of Baldwin City in 1935. She also attended Bethel College of North Newton, Wichita State University and Emporia State Teachers College.

She married William Dick on Oct. 13, 1946, in Wichita.

She was a Methodist church youth director and elementary schoolteacher, and was the librarian at Valley Center High School until retiring in 1975.

In 1954 she became a member of First Mennonite Church in Newton, where she taught Sunday school, vacation Bible school and served as youth group sponsor and president of the Women’s Society. She was a Bethel Hospital board member and president of Bethel Hospital Women’s Auxiliary. She was instrumental in merging the Axtell and Bethel hospital auxiliaries into the new Newton Medical Center auxiliary.

She committed her life to the pursuit of world peace at a young age. In 1934 she visited her congressman in Washington, D.C., as part of the Peace Action Committee. In 1935 she attended the National Council for the Prevention of War in Washington. In 1945 she raised enough money to buy a carload of wheat for Wheat for Relief. In 1948-49 she worked in Germany with her husband in the construction of a new town for German civilians displaced during World War II.

Survivors include two daughters, Ruth Anne Abraham and her husband, Jacob, of Austin, Texas, and Lillian Goering and her husband, David, of Liberal; a sister, Kathryn Long of Neodesha; four grandchildren; a great-grandchild and two foster granddaughters.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William; a sister, Elinor Grove; and a brother, Russell Lawrence.

A memorial service was held at First Mennonite Church of Newton. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery, Newton.

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 May 31 p. 8

Correction

A survivor's name was incorrect in last week's obituary of Ruth Dick. Lillian Goering should have been Lillian Quiring.