Ruth Maxine (Armstrong) Keith, 99, of Commodore, PA went Home to Heaven on Tuesday, January 30, 2018.
Ruth was the third child of Ellis W. and Daisy (Donahey) Armstrong. She was born July 6, 1918 on the family farm in Green Twp., Indiana County, PA, where she spent most of her life.
Ruth attended a one room schoolhouse, the Treese School, located near Fleming Summit. She and her siblings walked approximately two miles to attend school. She went on to graduate from Green Township High School, Commodore, PA, Class of 1935.
She married Ernest “Mike” Keith on April 6, 1935. They were married for thirty years until his early death in September 1965. At the age of forty-eight, Ruth found herself a widow with two teenage children still in the home. She found it necessary to find employment outside the home and was hired at the Purchase Line High School as a cafeteria worker. She worked there for twelve years.
Ruth was a member of the Hazelet Church and then the Purchase Line United Methodist Church when several small churches merged.
She enjoyed needlework, sewing and gardening, watching game shows on television (and competing fiercely!) shower games (at which she was near impossible to beat!) and crossword and search a word puzzles.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; son John; son Richard and daughter-in-law, Roberta Keith; brother, Jack; brother, Clair and sister-in-law, Dorothy Armstrong; brother, Orton and sister-in-law, Louise Armstrong; sister, Frances and husband, Chuck Buterbaugh; sister Mary and brother-in-law, Devere Bagley; brother-in-law, John Kerr; nephews: Randy Armstrong; James McQuown and Paul Woytek.
She is survived by her older sister, Sara McQuown Kerr of East Springfield, PA; her brother, Bill and wife, Janet Armstrong of Shenandoah Junction, WV; her four children: Robert and wife, Marge Keith of Tallmadge, OH; Nancy and husband Ed Baker of Hillsdale, PA; Joanne Keith and Garee and wife, Joyce Keith and daughter-in-law, Judith Keith, all of Commodore, PA and daughter-in-law, Joann Moyer Keith of Cherry Tree, PA.
Also surviving are her fifteen grandchildren: Michael and Tom Keith; Robin Claassen and Rebecca Molenkamp; Jeff, Chris, Barry and Sam Baker, Jodie Vasbinder and Pam Craig; Kelley Goss and Kimberly McCullough; Brian and Stephen Keith and Julie Hammond; thirty-five great grandchildren; nine great great grandchildren and many, many loved nieces and nephews reaching out to the great great level.
Family and friends will be received from 2-4:00 and 6-8:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 4, 2018 at the Rairigh Funeral Home, Ltd. in Hillsdale, PA. An 11:00 a.m. funeral service will be held on Monday, February 5, 2018 at the Purchase Line United Methodist Church with Pastor Ray Hill and Pastor August Twigg officiating. Interment will be at the Hazelet Cemetery, Cherry Tree, PA.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Purchase Line United Methodist Church, 17107 Rte 286 Hwy E, Commodore, PA 15729.