Mary Ann (Kurtz) Ruth

The Nurse
by Margo DeRouchie

With a heart of gold,
she was impeccably dressed from head to toe,
donning her hard-earned starched nursing cap,
a meticulously pressed uniform,
her glistening nursing school pin,
down to her brightly polished nursing shoes.

Her passion leads her,
her helping hands direct her
and saving someone’s life guides her.
Once an Intensive Care nurse,
on to the IV Team,
then a Nursing Supervisor.

Doing her rounds,
with a clipboard in hand,
she greeted the staff
while listening to their demands.
Anyone that needed this or that,
upon being short-staffed,
she gained respect
as she placed her clipboard down
to support the nursing staff.

During a house staff,
while in an adrenaline rush
she would dash to the crash cart
and assist the lifesaving team.

A nurse was her calling;
and she was in her element,
which showed in her compassionate, caregiving ways.

With a broad smile on her face,
she slowly drifted away,
dropping white feathers along her path,
she entered the Pearly White gates,
as if to say I met my match.

 
Mary Ann Ruth, 87, of Womelsdorf, passed away in the morning hours of Thursday, December 29, 2022, of natural causes in Country Meadows of Wyomissing.

She was the widow of the late George W. Ruth, who died on September 17, 2021.

Born Wednesday, October 2, 1935, in Marion Township, she was the daughter of the late Herbert F & Martha Z. (née Erb) Kurtz.

Mary was the valedictorian of the Womelsdorf High School class of 1953 and a 1956 graduate of the Reading Hospital School of Nursing. She was a Nursing Supervisor at the Reading Hospital until her retirement in 1989. As a lifelong learner, it was essential to maintain her RN license through her 70s.

She was a community servant and continued volunteering at the Reading Hospital long after retirement. She was also a beloved Raggedy Ann that would visit patients to brighten their day. Mary Ann was a faithful member of Zion Lutheran Church, Womelsdorf. She was head of the Altar Guild for many years and an active member of WELCA. She had a heart of gold and did all she could to help someone in need, her primary goal as a compassionate caregiver.

She was fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, and always ready to throw a party and play games. She loved traveling; some of her favorite places in the states were New York, Cape May, New England, and Hawaii. She thoroughly enjoyed her travels to England, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, and Spain. She even climbed Machu Picchu in her late 70’s with a dear friend who was once stationed in Peru while serving in the Peace Corps along with a beloved cousin. She always articulately documented her world travels in photojournals.

Mary Ann and George appreciated music, entertaining, and sharing their meticulous gardens, floral arrangements, and love of life and the great outdoors.

Mary’s beautiful smile and caring ways will be greatly missed by all that knew her. She is survived by her loving daughter, Margo J. DeRouchie; her grandchildren: Jessica (Ruth) Ritchey, Netanya & Derek DeRouchie; four great-grandchildren; her sister, Jane Steiner; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her son, Eric C. Ruth; her grandson, Matthew Ruth; and her siblings: David Kurtz & Ruth Troutman.

The family would like to acknowledge the excellent staff at Country Meadows of Wyomissing and Lifesong Hospice for their compassionate care and support.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery on Friday, May 19th, at 1:30 pm.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Berks County Community Foundation for the Reading Hospital School of Nursing Student Scholarship Fund, 237 Court Street, Reading, PA 19601, or to Zion Lutheran Church, 300 W. High Street, Womelsdorf, PA  19567

The Mull Funeral Home, Womelsdorf, is assisting the family.  www.mullfh.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Ann (Kurtz) Ruth, please visit our floral store.