Ruth, Henry L. (1919-1993)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1993 Jul 22 p. 9

Birth date: 1919

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1993 Sep 2 p. 11

text of obituary:

HENRY L. RUTH

Henry L. Ruth, 74, a native and lifetime resident of Harleysville, Pa., died June 7, 1993, at North Penn Hospital. He was the son of the late Henry m. and Mary (Landis) Ruth. Ruth and wife, Stella M. (Groff) Ruth, would have observed their 53rd wedding anniversary in October.

During the 1940s and early 1950s he was a dairy farmer in the Salford area. For most of his life he was an evangelistic minister in the Mennonite Church. baptized in 1934 and ordained in Salford Mennonite Church in 1951, he pastored the church for 17 years. Beginning in 1968 he ministered at Rockhill Mennonite Church for 12 years. For the following 10 years, he served as interim minister for the Groveland, Indian Valley and Zion Mennonite churches.

Ruth also had an itinerate ministry in southeastern Pennsylvania an Maryland. For 12 years he was heard on the "Life with God" broadcast, where he served as program director on WBYO in Boyertown. In February 1991 he became chaplain of the Souderton Mennonite Homes, where he gave his final sermon May 2. he enjoyed music, singing in quartets, and for 20 years led the old-fashioned hymn-sing services at Spruce Lake. He was a member of Rockhill Mennonite Church in Telford.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Ferne R. Kraybill and her husband, Mark B., of Bernville, and Lois R. Shank and her husband, Sheldon B., of Harrisonburg, Va.; two sons, Karl G. of Harleysville and Daniel G. and his wife, Karen R., of Archbold, Ohio; seven grandchildren; three sisters, Bessie L. Rittenhouse of Lansdale, Eva Kratz of Morwood and Ella L. Ruth of Telford; and two brothers, Paul L. of Souderton and Alpheus L. of Lansdale.

Services were held June 10 at Salford Mennonite Church, Harleysville.