I have many strong women in my family, and it is a challenge to choose only one to write about this week. I have written a little about my Aunt Ruth Springer in an article about her husband, my uncle, George Henry Springer (my dad's brother) here:
https://regnirpsstories.blogspot.com/2018/07/music-way-of-life-for-george-henry.html.
Johnnie Ruth Boatman Springer, known as Ruth, was born in Holland, Texas on February 2, 1924 to Rev. L. D. Boatman and Ada Laura Sims Boatman.
She had an older sister, Mary Elizabeth, known as M. E. The family moved around Texas as her father preached in many Methodist churches in the state. (1) When Ruth was 15, her father, Rev. L. D. Boatman officiated at the wedding of my parents, Delton and Dorothy Nell (Clark) Springer at the home of my aunt, May Ruth Springer Noles on April 7, 1939.
So, there has been a family connection for a LONG time! Ruth graduated from Adamson High School in Dallas in 1941.
George was already in the Navy and returned to duty after the wedding and Ruth continued to live with her parents, completing her college degree at Texas State College for Women (now TWU) in Denton in 1945.
Ruth began a lifelong membership and close connection to the Order of Eastern Star in 1946 and was a Past Worthy Matron. (1) She continued to play the piano for several Eastern Star chapters around where she lived for many, many years. At the time of her death, two different Chapters offered Resolutions of Respect honoring Ruth. I was privileged to receive notification of these.
In 1947, Ruth is listed in the Dallas Business Directory as a Stenographer for Howard Van Lines, now known as Allied Worldwide. George and Ruth lived in Dallas for many years and Ruth worked to help put her husband through college until his graduation from SMU in 1955. For many years she worked in Dallas for Mr. Charlie Seay. (1)
Ruth's dad died in Palestine, Anderson County, Texas in 1966 and in 1968, Ruth and George moved to Palestine, most likely to take care of her mother, who died in 1980, also in Palestine. George was the Band Director for Palestine High School until 1971, when he retired. At some point, they purchased and moved to a large acreage near Montalba, not too far from Palestine, where Ruth helped George run their Music Instrument Repair Business.
George and Ruth were faithful participants in the Springer Family Reunions held twice a year in the Ellis County area. Here they are in May 1989.
They were members of Montalba United Methodist Church for 37 years before moving back to Palestine, where George died in 1993. At that time, they were members of First United Methodist Church, Palestine, where Ruth was a member the rest of her life.
In September 2011, I had a telephone conversation with Ruth and she shared this information. She moved Feb 25, 2011. The rent is 1/2 of what she was paying, a better size and the utilities are 1/4 what she had been paying. Her rent is $206/month down from $383 and her utilities are about $44/month, The new place was built about 2000, is a quad-plex, 1 story, 1 bedroom, 1 bath unit with no through traffic. Her kitchen window faces south and she has windows on the east so it is bright and light, clean and modern with ceiling fans. It is a Senior Community on the north side of Palestine. It is less active in the mornings and she misses that a little. She had talked to Buford, George's last living sibling, on his birthday. (Buford died just a month later.) Ruth's new address is: 712 Gardner Drive #61, Palestine, TX 75803. Her phone number stayed the same.
On December 17, 2015, I received a telephone call from Ruth's best friend, Lucille Haney, and Lucille said that Ruth was not doing well. She was in a nursing care facility and was near death and was somewhat unresponsive. I decided that, rather than go to TX (from SC) for the funeral, I would fly to DFW and drive to Palestine to try to visit with Ruth, before she passed. I arrived early on December 18 and visited with her. She was mostly unresponsive, but seemed to know that I was there. I stayed throughout the day, visiting with friends from her church, Eastern Star and Lucille, of course. When Lucille and I left for the night, we both told Ruth that we loved her and would see her the next morning. I stayed at a nearby motel. When I arrived the next morning and entered her room, the bed had been stripped and they were cleaning the room. I inquired at the nurses station, and Ruth had died just a little while after Lucille and I left the night before. Attempts had been made to reach Ruth's guardian, Lucille's daughter, but she was out of town and so no one had been notified about her death. I asked that Lucille be called. The nurse did and I visited with her on the telephone. I then returned home to SC and was unable to attend the funeral several days later, after her guardian was back in town and could make the arrangements.
Excerpts from the Obituary for Ruth Springer:
Graveside services for Johnnie Ruth Boatman Springer, 91, of Palestine will be held at 11 am on Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at Holly Springs Cemetery in Montalba, Texas with Reverend Carol Turner officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home... Memorials may be made to the George H. Springer Endowed Music Education Scholarship, UNT College of Music, 1155 Union Circle, Denton, TX 76203.
http://www.herringtonfuneral.com/obituaries/Ruth-Springer/#!/Obituary
Ruth was a very strong woman. Growing up, even into her high school and college years, she had to be flexible and gracious while moving from one community to another, as her father was moved by the Methodist Church to different appointments. Her strength showed when she married a Navy man and then sent him off to continue to fly his missions over the Pacific Ocean during World War II. She boldly attended and graduated from college, which was uncommon during the War years. Then, when her husband came home from the War, she worked to put him through college, allowing him to become an influential teacher and band director. She was strong when her father died and they moved away from Dallas which was a very important part of her life. She was amazingly strong when her husband had a heart attack and he had to retire from teaching and start an entirely new career. She worked tirelessly beside him in the repair shop, working with cleaning solutions and various tools, which was a very different career than the one she was trained for. She was strong through the years of not being able to have children. She persisted through the loss of her father, her mother, her sister, and finally her husband. Ruth showed her strength, devotion to her husband and her commitment to education when she established a Scholarship honoring George at the University of North Texas College of Music in Denton, TX. And, she continued to be amazingly positive even in her last years, smiling and laughing that unforgettable laugh, in often very difficult circumstances. Ruth was a strong, lovely lady and will have a special place in our hearts always.
Footnotes:
1) Obituary for Ruth Boatman,
http://www.herringtonfuneral.com/obituaries/Ruth-Springer/#!/Obituary
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
https://regnirpsstories.blogspot.com/2018/07/music-way-of-life-for-george-henry.html.
Johnnie Ruth Boatman Springer, known as Ruth, was born in Holland, Texas on February 2, 1924 to Rev. L. D. Boatman and Ada Laura Sims Boatman.
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| Johnnie Ruth Boatman from Ancestry.com, ober1901 originally shared this on 31 Mar 2018 |
She had an older sister, Mary Elizabeth, known as M. E. The family moved around Texas as her father preached in many Methodist churches in the state. (1) When Ruth was 15, her father, Rev. L. D. Boatman officiated at the wedding of my parents, Delton and Dorothy Nell (Clark) Springer at the home of my aunt, May Ruth Springer Noles on April 7, 1939.
 |
| Rev. L.D. Boatman when he was pastor of King Hill Methodist Church, Saint Joseph, Missouri, in the 1940s. Added by: Dave Boatman 7/06/2010. Ancestry.com |
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| Ada Sims Boatman, Ruth's mother. Ancestry.com |
So, there has been a family connection for a LONG time! Ruth graduated from Adamson High School in Dallas in 1941.
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| Ruth Boatman, 1941 Adamson High School, Dallas Texas, Yearbook "Entered from Mount Vernon High '38 Orchestra; Commerical Club; Scholarship Club" Ancestry.com |
I am not sure how long Ruth had known my uncle George before they were married, but on October 23, 1944 they married at Oak Cliff Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas.
 |
| George and Ruth (Boatman) Springer Wedding, Personal Collection |
George was already in the Navy and returned to duty after the wedding and Ruth continued to live with her parents, completing her college degree at Texas State College for Women (now TWU) in Denton in 1945.
 |
| Johnnie Ruth Boatman of St. Joseph, MO Secretarial Studies 1945 Yearbook, Texas State College for Women, Seniors Ancestry.com |
Ruth began a lifelong membership and close connection to the Order of Eastern Star in 1946 and was a Past Worthy Matron. (1) She continued to play the piano for several Eastern Star chapters around where she lived for many, many years. At the time of her death, two different Chapters offered Resolutions of Respect honoring Ruth. I was privileged to receive notification of these.
 |
| Resolutions from Order of Easter Star - Personal Collection |
In 1947, Ruth is listed in the Dallas Business Directory as a Stenographer for Howard Van Lines, now known as Allied Worldwide. George and Ruth lived in Dallas for many years and Ruth worked to help put her husband through college until his graduation from SMU in 1955. For many years she worked in Dallas for Mr. Charlie Seay. (1)
Ruth's dad died in Palestine, Anderson County, Texas in 1966 and in 1968, Ruth and George moved to Palestine, most likely to take care of her mother, who died in 1980, also in Palestine. George was the Band Director for Palestine High School until 1971, when he retired. At some point, they purchased and moved to a large acreage near Montalba, not too far from Palestine, where Ruth helped George run their Music Instrument Repair Business.
George and Ruth were faithful participants in the Springer Family Reunions held twice a year in the Ellis County area. Here they are in May 1989.
 |
| Ruth and George at the Aubrey Springer Reunion May 1989, Personal Collection |
They were members of Montalba United Methodist Church for 37 years before moving back to Palestine, where George died in 1993. At that time, they were members of First United Methodist Church, Palestine, where Ruth was a member the rest of her life.
In September 2011, I had a telephone conversation with Ruth and she shared this information. She moved Feb 25, 2011. The rent is 1/2 of what she was paying, a better size and the utilities are 1/4 what she had been paying. Her rent is $206/month down from $383 and her utilities are about $44/month, The new place was built about 2000, is a quad-plex, 1 story, 1 bedroom, 1 bath unit with no through traffic. Her kitchen window faces south and she has windows on the east so it is bright and light, clean and modern with ceiling fans. It is a Senior Community on the north side of Palestine. It is less active in the mornings and she misses that a little. She had talked to Buford, George's last living sibling, on his birthday. (Buford died just a month later.) Ruth's new address is: 712 Gardner Drive #61, Palestine, TX 75803. Her phone number stayed the same.
On December 17, 2015, I received a telephone call from Ruth's best friend, Lucille Haney, and Lucille said that Ruth was not doing well. She was in a nursing care facility and was near death and was somewhat unresponsive. I decided that, rather than go to TX (from SC) for the funeral, I would fly to DFW and drive to Palestine to try to visit with Ruth, before she passed. I arrived early on December 18 and visited with her. She was mostly unresponsive, but seemed to know that I was there. I stayed throughout the day, visiting with friends from her church, Eastern Star and Lucille, of course. When Lucille and I left for the night, we both told Ruth that we loved her and would see her the next morning. I stayed at a nearby motel. When I arrived the next morning and entered her room, the bed had been stripped and they were cleaning the room. I inquired at the nurses station, and Ruth had died just a little while after Lucille and I left the night before. Attempts had been made to reach Ruth's guardian, Lucille's daughter, but she was out of town and so no one had been notified about her death. I asked that Lucille be called. The nurse did and I visited with her on the telephone. I then returned home to SC and was unable to attend the funeral several days later, after her guardian was back in town and could make the arrangements.
Excerpts from the Obituary for Ruth Springer:
Graveside services for Johnnie Ruth Boatman Springer, 91, of Palestine will be held at 11 am on Wednesday, December 30, 2015 at Holly Springs Cemetery in Montalba, Texas with Reverend Carol Turner officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home... Memorials may be made to the George H. Springer Endowed Music Education Scholarship, UNT College of Music, 1155 Union Circle, Denton, TX 76203.
http://www.herringtonfuneral.com/obituaries/Ruth-Springer/#!/Obituary
 |
| Obituary Photo |
Ruth was a very strong woman. Growing up, even into her high school and college years, she had to be flexible and gracious while moving from one community to another, as her father was moved by the Methodist Church to different appointments. Her strength showed when she married a Navy man and then sent him off to continue to fly his missions over the Pacific Ocean during World War II. She boldly attended and graduated from college, which was uncommon during the War years. Then, when her husband came home from the War, she worked to put him through college, allowing him to become an influential teacher and band director. She was strong when her father died and they moved away from Dallas which was a very important part of her life. She was amazingly strong when her husband had a heart attack and he had to retire from teaching and start an entirely new career. She worked tirelessly beside him in the repair shop, working with cleaning solutions and various tools, which was a very different career than the one she was trained for. She was strong through the years of not being able to have children. She persisted through the loss of her father, her mother, her sister, and finally her husband. Ruth showed her strength, devotion to her husband and her commitment to education when she established a Scholarship honoring George at the University of North Texas College of Music in Denton, TX. And, she continued to be amazingly positive even in her last years, smiling and laughing that unforgettable laugh, in often very difficult circumstances. Ruth was a strong, lovely lady and will have a special place in our hearts always.
Footnotes:
1) Obituary for Ruth Boatman,
http://www.herringtonfuneral.com/obituaries/Ruth-Springer/#!/Obituary
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
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