Ruth was born March 9, 1922, in Sioux Rapids, Iowa. Her early years were spent in Audubon, Iowa. Following graduation, she entered nursing school at Iowa Methodist Hospital, graduating in 1943.
After the U.S. entered World War II, she enlisted in the Army as a 2nd lieutenant. She served her country until meeting and marrying Eugene Harper. In 1945, she had a son, Donald.
Ruth had many jobs in her lifetime. She was a surgical nurse and school nurse, and spent 10 years as a coordinator and instructor of nursing at Iowa Western College. In 1971, she became the in-service director of Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan, Iowa.
In 1974, after the death of her beloved parents, she moved to Audubon, where she continued nursing at Friendship Nursing Home. She retired from nursing in 1988, but continued volunteering at the nursing home for many years to come.
Ruth loved traveling, and spent many years seeing the sights of Europe and the U.S.
After spending every summer with her family in Maine, Ruth finally moved to Biddeford permanently in 2009. She became an active member of The Church on the Cape, and participated in many of their activities well into her 90s.
Ruth was an accomplished seamstress and quilter, and spent many an enjoyable Tuesday with the quilting ladies in Cape Porpoise. She also enjoyed reading; once a week, she made a trip to Cape Porpoise Library to pick up new books.
Ruth felt it was her mission to brighten the lives of people she didn’t personally know. She sent out hundreds of cards as part of the church’s Ministry of Caring program.
She was an active member of the P.E.O., the American Legion and the hospital auxiliary in Audubon.
Ruth was a loving mother and grandmother. She is survived by: her son, Donald Harper and his wife Julie; granddaughters Tasha Harper, Tammy Harper and Kathy Smith; grandsons Christopher Oliver and his wife Cheryl, and Jeffrey Harper and his wife Angela; great-grandson Connor; great-granddaughter Christina; and a cousin, Dennis Thornburg and his wife Janis of Red Oak, Iowa.
Special thanks go to Dr. Merrill Farrand, the caring staff of Gosnell Memorial Hospice House, Pastor Ruth Merriam, Rev. Pat MacHugh, and Susan Basford, RN, whose visits meant so much.
Visiting hours will be 4-6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Hope Memorial Chapel, 480 Elm St., Biddeford.
A memorial service will be held to celebrate Ruth’s life at The Church on the Cape at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9. To share condolences online, please visit HopeMemorial.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: The Church on the Cape, 3 Langsford Road, Cape Porpoise, ME 04046.
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