Ruth Martin

Let us celebrate the life of Ruth Elizabeth Shumate Martin, 94, of Vandalia, Ohio who passed away Friday August 5, 2016 in the loving presence of her husband, son, and daughter. Ruth was born October 30, 1921 in Beckley WV to the late Benjamin Johnson Shumate and Wavie Clay Shumate Gates. She is preceeded in death by her sister, Ferne Shumate Phipps, her grandparents, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Ruth leaves behind a loving family including her husband of 73 1/2 years, Alva Pershing Martin, their son, James Alva Martin and his wife Jean Bruce Martin and their daughter, Elizabeth Ann Martin Colston and husband John Thomas Colston and 5 grandchildren, 3 grand daughter-in-laws, 14 great grandchildren, a special nephew and two special nieces.

Ruth graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School, Beckley West Virginia in 1939 at age 17. That summer she lived with her sister and brother-in-law, Ferne and Emmett Phipps and got a job at FW Woolworth's store in Oak Hill, West Virginia where she met her future husband, Alva P. Martin whom she married December 27, 1942. She attended Farmville State Teacher's College in Virginia in the fall of 1939, transferring the next year to Concord College in Athens, West Virginia where she eventually earned her BA degree in education. At age 20 she started teaching grades 1-8 in a rural one room school in Widen in Nicholas County, West Virginia. She also taught at Price Hill and Pax, West Virginia; Marion City Schools, Marion, Ohio; and 22 years at Vandalia Elementary in Vandalia, Ohio for a total of 37.5 years, retiring from Vandalia schools in 1983.

On December 27, 1942, Ruth married the love of her life, Alva Pershing Martin at First Baptist Church in Beckley, West Virginia and went with Alva to Santa Monica, California to live and work with Alva at Douglas Aircraft.

Ruth was a very active person. She has been a member of Vandalia United Methodist Church for 50+ years, was a member of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority, Our Homes Garden Club in Vandalia, Vandalia Senior Citizens, Montgomery County Retired Teachers, Sassy Seniors Red Hat, Circle Eight Square Dance group as well as a charter member of Vandalia Historical Society and a charter member and 2nd president of Vandalia Lioness Club and in January, 2012 was the recipient of the Lion's Club Melvin Jones Award.

A lover of beauty, she especially enjoyed flowers and her yard and spent many enjoyable hours in her gardens. She loved lighthouses, cross stitching, and friends. After retiring, Ruth and Alva were "snowbirds" to Florida, traveling in their motor home for 21 years. Together they traveled across the country including Hawaii and Alaska as well as traveling to Europe, the Bahamas, and the Panama Canal. They were never far apart after their 18 month separation while Alva was in the Army during WWII and were usually seen holding hands as they walked and dancing together in the kitchen whenever Alva put on a Big Band song or pitching in to help each other. Ruth will be missed by her family, the community, and the 4th grade students whose lives she touched.

Funeral services will be held at the Vandalia United Methodist Church located at 200 S. Dixie Dr. Vandalia on Saturday August 13 at 11:00am with Rev. Mike Malcosky officiating. The family will receive guests during the celebration of Ruth's life at the Morton and Whetstone Funeral Home located at 139 S. Dixie Drive in Vandalia, from 5:00- 8:00 PM on Friday August 12, 2016. Visitation will also be Saturday, August 13 from 10:00AM until time of service at the church.

Donations can be made to the Vandalia Butler Food Pantry in honor of Ruth's years of dedication to the Vandalia community.