Ruth Hamilton

Ruth Erlene Hamilton was born March 16, 1931 at Elkhart, Kansas to James T. and Gertrude M. Warner Hamilton. She passed away August 7, 2008 at Hospice of the Ozarks at the age of 77. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at the Kirby & Family Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Jerrel Venable officiating. Visitation will be 2:00 - 8:00 P.M. Monday, August 11, 2008 at the Funeral Home. Graveside services will be 11:00 A.M. Wednesday August 13, 2008 at the Pleasant Valley Mennonite Cemetery, Harper, Kansas. Family, friends and co-workers have always been at the center of Ruth's life. In 1950, a group of 12 people came from Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church in Harper, Kansas to teach Bible school at Buffalo City, Rae Valley and Three Brothers. These two weeks were the beginning of her love for the people of north central Arkansas. Through the years, Ruth's time, energy, talents and finances were used in ministry in the Three Brothers community, as well as the Promise Land, Oakland, Buffalo, Buford, Calico Rock, Culp and Clarkridge communities. Ruth truly was the hands and feet of Christ as she spent hours teaching Sunday School, helping with Sunday morning and evening church services, providing Sunday lunch for teens, teaching Wednesday night Bible studies and Saturday youth services. Those who were touched by Ruth's influence and energy remember how she took part in and got others involved in revivals, baptisms at the lake, youth camps, vacation Bible schools, Christmas and Easter programs, caroling for the elderly and visiting shut-ins. Ruth coordinated outreach efforts for overseas missions by sending clothes and rolling bandages. During the 1950's and 60's, northern Arkansas was poor, with few jobs. Only Highway 5 was paved and few people had cars, so Ruth drove many miles, changing lots of flat tires, to make sure everyone who wanted to go was able to get to church. As James 1:27 says, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." Ruth demonstrated pure and genuine religion in the sight of God her Father. Ruth's work went beyond just filling roles in the local churches. She also cultivated personal relationships with those she served. She was a person who cared about others, opening the door of her home to all, listening to their hearts, making all feel loved and accepted, providing biblical guidance from God's word, and offering a helping hand or prayer when it was needed. "For it is in giving that we receive," and "Do unto others what you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12) were at the heart of how Ruth lived her life. Those who lived in the communities that Ruth served were fortunate to have been touched by her. But Ruth's love and devotion had no physical boundaries as they also reached her family members who lived around the country. Family was so important to Ruth and she made each person feel special, important and loved. She also passed along the godly heritage that has been at the heart of the Hamilton family for generations. To be honest, to act with integrity in all areas of life, to give selflessly, to live a godly life and to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15) has been the family's mission and Ruth carried these out with great love, generosity and mercy. The professional nursing career of Ruth E. Hamilton was a ministry more than a career. As with every task she chose or faced, she gave it one hundred and ten percent, working as a servant of God. Ruth received her high school diploma from Hesston Academy in 1949 in Hesston, Kansas. She attended one year of pre-nursing at Hesston College, then obtained her RN license at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton, Kansas in 1953. It was about this time when she traveled with her family to north central Arkansas where she taught vacation Bible school in various communities. One of Ruth's favorite scriptures was Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Knowing that the Lord had a plan for her life and a work for her to do, she followed the call to begin her life's work in Arkansas and moved to the Three Brothers area in 1953. Her first employment was at the Gassville Hospital where she was the only RN. Two years later she attended Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Virginia where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1956. While licensed registered nurses were scarce in northern Arkansas in the fifties, nurses with a college degree were rare indeed. With her modesty and sensitivity toward others, and due to her desire to serve others, Ruth seldom mentioned her college degree. Although she was entitled to sign her name with BSN, it was always, Ruth Hamilton, RN. Returning to Arkansas in 1956, Ruth began an eight year role as the Surgical Floor Supervisor, the Director of Inservice and Assistant Director of Nursing Services at the Boone County Hospital in Harrison, Arkansas. A highlight of that time was setting up Boone County Hospital's first Coronary Care/Intensive Care Unit. In a move to work closer to home, she was a Public Health Nurse for the Arkansas Department of Health in an interim position for one year. In 1964 she became the night shift supervisor for Marion County Hospital in Yellville, Arkansas. The following year she became the Director of Nursing Services at Marion County Hospital, and held that position for three years. Ruth's nursing career next took her to Baxter Manor Nursing Home as Director of Nursing Services. In 1968 it was a forty bed nursing home. It was reduced to twenty beds as the Baxter General Hospital expanded. With this expansion, Ruth moved back to hospital nursing as Director of Nursing Services at Baxter General Hospital from 1972 to the fall of 1975. Along with other "firsts" in her career, Ruth was given the challenge of establishing the first Recuperative Care Unit for the hospital that had become Baxter Regional Hospital. In the fall of 1975, Ruth moved to a position that would forever highlight her nursing service to Baxter and surrounding counties. She became Director of Nursing Services for Baxter Manor Nursing Home. Over the next ten years it grew to a 72 bed nursing home and Intermediate Care Facility and then a Skilled Care Facility. In 1983, she was given the Arkansas Nurse of the Year award. She was honored by presentations from then Governor William J. Clinton, by Arkansas Department of Health Director Dr. Benjamin Saltzman, and by Senator Vada Sheid. From her position as inservice Director in 1956 to the end of her career, Ruth was always a teacher. At Baxter Manor she held nurse aide certification classes so that all the aides became certified caregivers. Later she served on a national committee to standardize the licensing test for Licensed Practical Nurses across the United States. Ruth officially retired from her nursing career in 1984. In the next two years she followed her heart for teaching as she taught students at the Promise Land Christian Academy in the Three Brothers community. Ruth shared God's love for the young, working to "bring the little children unto him for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14) In 1987, Ruth was coaxed out of retirement by Pat Flippo to serve as Director of Nurses at Flippo's Nursing Home. This was her last nursing position held in her decades of service to families in north central Arkansas. She fulfilled her nursing duties there until 1996, when she devoted her energies completely to other Christian ministry. Not only was Ruth a nurse by profession, but she used her knowledge and skill to care for those around her. Friends, church, and community members would call on Ruth if they were sick and she always knew what to do or say. She often went to their homes to check on them and would even spend the night with them, if needed. As Ruth's work on this earth is complete and she enters into her Lord's kingdom, we can be sure she's being greeted with the words "Well done, good and faithful servant"(Matthew 25:23) for she has truly shown the world the love of Christ in how she lived her life. For some time now, the Lord and his angels have been preparing the mansion which is to be Ruth's new home. Although it is sad for those left behind, it is a happy reunion for Ruth and her family members and friends who have been waiting there for her. Can't you just see her now, happy as she goes from one person to the next, renewing relationships and friendships, and meeting the Lord Jesus who has led her all her life. So many people have many happy memories of hours spent with her, visiting in their homes, at family reunions and gatherings. One day there will be a great reunion when everyone is once again together in the great beyond. Until then, hold on to your precious memories of her and they will never fade away. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Jim and Gertrude, a sister, Myrtle, and brother, Jim. Ruth is survived by her 98 year old aunt, Hannah Hamilton of Harper, KS, uncle, Perry Troyer of Hutchinson, KS, sister-in-law, Vi Hamilton Janzen and her husband Vern of Elkhart, Kansas, nephew, Jim Hamilton and his wife, Tina of Aurora, Colorado, and niece, Sherri Hurn, her husband Travis and daughter Emme of Elkhart, Kansas. Without the blessing of natural children, Ruth experienced parenting when Linda Sue Rose of Mountain Home became her surrogate daughter. She leaves Linda Sallee and her husband Shurden, grandsons David Sallee and his wife Mandi of Mountain Home, Gabe Sallee and his wife Christy of Osawatomie, Kansas and great grandchildren Marissa, Miranda, Kyle and Jasper. She is also survived by brother-in-law, Clayton Gingerich of Kalona, Iowa In honor of the life Ruth lived, selflessly giving to others, teaching and mentoring others to be the best they could be, a nursing scholarship fund has been established in Ruth's name at ASUMH. Anyone wishing to give in her memory may send correspondence to the Ruth E. Hamilton Nursing Scholarship Fund, c/o Carol Gresham, ASUMH, 1600 South College Street, Mountain Home, AR 72653.