Thelma Ruth Acridge

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Thelma Ruth Acridge, 76, of Hume, Mo., died Friday, July 24, 2009, at Joplin Health and Rehabilitation in Joplin.

Ruth was born Jan. 21, 1933, at her parents home in Hammond, Kan. She was daughter of William W. and Thelma Pearl Headrick Acridge. She attended Fulton High School until 1951 at which time she moved with her family to Veneta, Ore. After that she attended Elmira High School for a time. After leaving school, she worked as clerk at Elliot Mercantile until it burned in 1954. In 1956, she joined the Women's Army Corps, along with her sister Alice, where she served her country until 1958 at Ft. Benning, Ga. as clerk/typist. After discharge, she worked in New Jersey for a year. After she returned home in 1959, she went to work for Elliot Hardware and Feed. In 1973, she moved to Hume/Richards, Mo. area where she managed her uncle's family farm until 1987. At that time, she took care of Judy's farm and animals until Judy retired and then worked with Judy until her illness and death.

Her hobbies were leather work, feeding and watching the wild birds, feeding the fish in the pond, her cattle (especially the babies), and sharing in the everyday life of the farm. She was an expert horsewoman. She loved her horses.

She is survived by three sisters; Mary Loretta Morrell and Alice Fern Tapp of Elmira, Ore.; Sharon Kay Russell of Pilot Rock, Ore.; one brother Byron Freddie Acridge of Eugene, Ore.; life-long friend and cousin Judy C. Headrick of Hume,; 10 nieces and nephews; 19 great-nieces and nephews and numerous cousins. She was preceded in death by her mother and father and a brother, William Lorence Acridge.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Aug. 3, at National Cemetery in Fort Scott, Kan. Friends may call now and until 9 a.m., on Monday at Ferry Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society in Ruth's name in care of Ferry Funeral Home, 301 S. Washington, Nevada, MO 64772.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com.