Ellen's Mom

I never heard her raise her voice. Soft spoken was she, a trim fit woman that raised three children, one of which was my best friend growing up. I met Ellen while living about 12 miles out of the small town where I eventually moved too. Ellen's father and my father were drinking buddies until eventually as happens with some drinkers, a fight or arguement happens while stoked on the liquor. Though this happened, Ellen and I remained friends through high school and until I moved away. My daughter used to call her EllyPhant and still remembers her to this day.

Ellen's mom, Ruth was that mom that everyone wanted for a mom. She stayed home with her children, dressed in her house dresses, baked,cooked and kept her house immaculate. When her husband was ill she nursed him till he passed on.

Years and years went by in my life while I traveled the USA making an occasional visit back to my home state and though I didn't visit Ruth, I always remembered her fondly. On one of the last visits I made back there, I made a trip to Ruth's house to visit. She hadn't changed though she had to take it easy now. She was on oxygen, living alone in her little house that was the same one I remembered from my childhood. We sat and went through her collection of scrapbooks which were a history of everything going on around her. The marriages, deaths, awards, and news of her family and friends clipped from the local newspaper was between those covers in those scrapbooks. You may think this was boring to view but not so. It was people that I was familiar with though years had passed since I had news of where and what they were doing. We spent a pleasant afternoon with Ruth and I'm so thankful that I got to do this. More years sailed by and often I would think of that visit and smile at the afternoon we shared with her.

Ruth passed on a few days ago. Though I didn't attend her funeral, I thought about her and how special she was to me and her family. R.I.P. Ruth. You will be greatly missed.

Jackson County, W.Va. -
EVANS – Ruth Marie Stewart, 88, of Evans, went to be with the Lord June 24, 2010 at her home following an extended illness while surrounded by her family. She was born October 4, 1921 in Cottageville, the daughter of the late Daniel A. and Sophrona C. (Rhodes) Rollins and was the last survivor of her four brothers and three sisters. Her husband of 45 years, Claude Eugene Stewart and a son-in-law, Bill Dietrich, also preceded her in death.

She had a passion for gardening, growing flowers, feeding the birds, restoring furniture, and quilting. Most of all, she was a loving wife, mother, grandma, and great grandma who will be greatly missed by all of her family.

Survivors included three daughters Frances Dietrich of Evans, Ellen Bowman (Jerold) of Reedy, and Marla Bills (Poncet) of Marietta, OH; seven grandchildren Dean Ann Cox (Vince) of Ripley, Debbie Marty (David) of Humble, TX, Denise Dietrich of Union, KY, Seth Bowman (Misty) of Reedy, Adam Bowman of Reedy, Jesse Bowman (Jessica) of Spencer, and Courtney Bills of Marietta, OH; five great grandchildren Jason Cox of Somerdale, NJ, Alexis Cox of Catlettsburg, KY, Jillian Marty and Alexandra Marty of Humble, TX, and Zachary Bowman of Reedy, WV.

Funeral service will be Wednesday, 2 p.m. June 30, at Casto Funeral Home, Evans, with the Rev. Herman Robinson officiating. Burial will follow at the Jackson County Memory Cemetery, Cottageville.


Friends may call from noon until time of service on Wednesday, June 30.