Ruth Elizabeth (Lonas) Heath, age 101, of Greenville, Ohio, passed away at 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at Sterling House of Greenville, where she had lived for three years. She was born March 19, 1908 in Mt. Jackson, Virginia, to the late Luther and Eunice (Sommers) Lonas.
Ruth graduated from Greenville High School in 1925 and was also a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She was an elementary school teacher in Middletown and Greenville, Ohio. She was a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Greenville, and was active in numerous organizations including Beta Sigma Phi, Retired Teachers Association, NARFE, Emersonian Club, and Green Thumb Garden Club.
In addition to her parents, Ruth is also preceded in death by her husband, James Heath, in 1992, to whom she married in 1944 in Greenville.
Ruth is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Roberta and Phil Crawford of Greenville; four grandchildren, Kim (Rob) Stigler of Greenville, Justin Crawford of Huber Heights, Erin (Alan) Ayette of Palestine and Margo (Randy) Wheeler of Fishers, Indiana; and ten great grandchildren, Janessa Stigler, Shore Crawford, Seryn Crawford, Sienna Crawford, Alia Ayette, Micah Ayette, Lydia Ayette, Zoe Ayette, Andrew Wheeler and Nicholas Wheeler.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, September 28, 2009 at 10:30 A.M. at Zechar Bailey Funeral Home in Greenville, with Rev. Joe Payne officiating. Burial will follow in Abbottsville Cemetery in Abbottsville, Ohio. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest that donations be made to First United Methodist Church, State of the Heart Hospice, or the activity fund of Sterling House, all of Greenville.
