Ruth Marie Barrett

Ruth Marie Barrett (Moore) November 8, 1930 -January 18, 2013 Ruth was born the first daughter and third child of William "Max" Moore. By the time the Moore household was full, Ruth was surrounded by her older brothers Bill and Bob, little sister Dorothy, and baby Art. She was fond of all her sisters in law as well- Bob's wife Wilma, Bill's first wife Doris (deceased), his current wife, Donna, and her brother in law Al Holmes (deceased). During her early childhood, the Great Depression swept through the country, creating hardships for many, including Ruth's own family. Suffering from increasing financial hardships and marital difficulties, Ruth's mother Ann left for Chicago in 1934. In a time where resources were scarce and daughters were not raised by fathers, Ann knew that she must find someone to care for her daughters. She placed Ruth and Dorothy at the Children's Home with the hope she would be able to return for them soon. For the next four years, Ruth cared for her sister Dorothy in the children's home as best she could, being a child herself. After her father Max remarried, he and his wife Ida came to pick up the girls and rejoin them with their brothers. Life continued, the economy rebounded, and Ruth worked on her studies, graduating from Bloomingdale High School in 1948. She began her career in the secretarial field at Brunswick Corporation. She continued on to Western Michigan University as Secretary to the Dean of Engineering and Technology. She later moved to Kalamazoo Label Company, where she worked for many years. While in Florida she worked for her brother Bill at his printing shop. Upon her return to Michigan, she found work with C.R.S., from which she retired - at least four times. In 1960, Ruth was attending the funeral of her father, Max, where she met Ken Barrett, a tall dark and handsome new employee for Max Moore Television. What she may not have known was that even in her grief her beauty had caught his eye. What neither of them may have known is that in his passing, Max had completed his mission of finding a lifelong love for his daughter who suffered a broken marriage leaving her the single mother of her two children, Bonnie and Bob. Ken was enamored with Ruth, and knew her situation. He too had been through previous relationships and was a single father of his daughters Rosalie and Kathy. Needing a date but feeling a little hesitant, Ken approached his office manager and asked if it would be appropriate to ask Ruth if she would attend that year's company Christmas party with him. Of course the office manager immediately contacted Ruth, who said she would be willing to accompany him. The party must have went well, as the two went on their first date on New Years Eve. We imagine that Ruth rang in 1961 dancing with Ken while he crooned his low bass in her ear. We know that whatever happened on that night must have been fantastic for them, as they were married only eight months later, bringing their family together into the Barrett household on Washburn Street on August, 25, 1961. Mother Ruth, Father Ken, and their children Rosalie, 16, Bonnie, 8, Bob, 5 and Kathy, 3, began their journey together, learning how to work together as a blended loving family in an age that this was a phenomenon more than a common family situation as it is now. The parents blended "his" and "hers", finding their way together. They tried for some time to add a "theirs" child to the mix, but the doctors told Ruth this would not be possible. You could imagine their surprise and joy many years later in the fall of 1966 when she went seeking treatment for sickness and was told that she was expecting a child! In 1967, baby Barbara joined the mix and cemented the final chapter of children in the Barrett household. Ken and Ruth spent the next 34 years together, until Ken passed away in 1995. During this time they celebrated many milestones. Daughter Rosalie and her husband Henry blessed them with their first grandson, Jim in 1964, and only hours after delivering their own child, Rosalie blessed them with their second grandson, Jeffrey in 1967. The "twin" aunt and nephew were cause for the Barrett family to spend many shared birthday celebrations together, including a surprise double Sixteenth Birthday when the Keiser family went to Florida to visit Ken, Ruth, and Barbi. As they continued raising their now mostly grown family and baby Barb, the Grandchild boom began in earnest. In October of 1972 Ruth and Ken welcomed Bonnie's daughter Lori, closely followed by Rosalie's third son Michael in November, and completed the year with Bob's daughter Rebecca. One imagines trying to fit the now exploding family around a dinner table for a Sunday family dinner! They had a chance for a little break from the baby boom which provided them time to prepare for the wedding of their daughter Kathy to Roger Hall in 1975. In 1980, Kathy and Roger were blessed with granddaughter Jessica, followed by grandson Jason in 1985. As the five children grew up, married and began their own households, the house on Washburn slowly emptied. In 1975, Ken, Ruth and Barbi moved to the very end segment of South Westnedge in Portage. Moving from a tight knit neighborhood where the neighbors all knew each other, and anyone could stop in to a house like Ruthie Henderson's to grab a haircut and a cup of coffee, must have been daunting. Suburbia was a newer concept at the time, and the spacious lawns and ranch houses contrasted to the small yards and tall homes they had known. However, having some space to spread out, a lawn with room for a large garden, and access to the lake where Ken could fish were attractive to the couple. Being closer to their long time best friends Bob and Sherry Valeko, who also lived on Gourdneck Lake, was a definite draw to them as well. They settled in well, and in their easy, caring way, began developing friendships with their new neighbors. They were a little older than most of the families on the block, and in time, many of the neighborhood children came to refer to them as Grandma Ruth and Papa Ken. If Ruth wasn't out walking and visiting after dinner, then surely someone was at the Barrett house, visiting and quietly hoping Ruth might have some of her Neighborhood Famous pie to offer them. Throughout the years Ruth and Ken visited Florida, and in 1982 when they had so much fun visiting with her brother Bill and his wife Doris, they decided to pull up stakes in Michigan and move to Sunny Sarasota. They rented out their home for a year while they tested out the move. They enjoyed having the family come to visit, and didn't miss the snow, but after a year decided they missed having their neighbors and their family and friends nearby, so they returned to Westnedge. Barbi was thrilled to move back in time to graduate high school with her lifelong friends, and they looked forward to their regular card dates, bowling and golfing with their many friends such as the Shields' and Hazely's. We think too that Ruth must have secretly been relieved for a little cooler weather that would give her more comfort as she spent most evenings knitting or crocheting anything from afghans to golf club heads and doilies. Other nights she would have yards of fabric on her lap as she cut and sewed clothing, Halloween costumes, bridesmaid dresses and baby quilts. Ken also enjoyed the cooler evenings on a summer day that had been spent on the lake while he sipped a beer and made the family his famous barbequed chicken. Their parenting days faded into grandparenting days as they gave away their daughter, once Baby Barbi, now Bride Barbi, to her groom Jeff Dankert in 1987. The two didn't move far though, keeping close ties with Ruth and Ken as they started their lives together in a nearby apartment. When the apartment burned, the young couple moved in with Ruth and Ken while they recollected themselves. Ruth and Ken enjoyed having them near, and the couple decided to stay close. When a lot just down the road went up for sale, Jeff and Barbi decided that Westnedge should be their permanent home. The two continued staying with Ken and Ruth while their home on Westnedge was built. During this time, Barb and Jeff were building more than a home- they also were building their own family. Granddaughter Logan joined the household in 1992. Shortly after, the new family was able to move into their own home, but not so far that Ruth couldn't get her grandma snuggles in on a regular basis! Her joy doubled when baby McKenzie joined the Dankert household in 1994. She now had two of her favorite creatures- grandchildren, living a stone's throw away. There were matching dresses to make and ribbons to tie- and once again, there was just enough love to go with it. In 2003, Barbi and the girls moved to Arizona to start a new family with Barb's new husband Joey. Much like her own mother, Barb wanted a child to share with her husband and to have another sibling for her daughters. In 2005, Ruth's final grandchild Dominick was born to Barb and Joey. Ruth and Ken also traveled occasionally, including trips to California to visit her son Bob. He also gave her three more grandchildren: Robert Alan Jr. "Robbie", Caitlyn, and Ryan Way. While she was not often close in location, she held them very close in her heart. Ruth's home was always open to wayward family members and friends in all walks of life. They had a bedroom and bathroom in the basement that had a constant stream of semi-permanent occupants. Daughters, sons, granddaughters, cousins and even a friend of a friend who needed a place to go all were loved like family but treated like royalty. There was always room at the table, enough food to go around, and for those leaving after to head home to empty cupboards, there were leftovers packed up with care. Ruth spent many years taking care of those around her. The hardest times included helping care for her sister Dorothy as she suffered many years before breast cancer delivered her to Heaven's gate. Ken's health also declined over the years, causing multiple hospitalizations and recoveries. In August of 1995, after an evening of cards with bosom buddies Bob and Sherry, Ken collapsed as they left the house. He passed away that night of a heart attack. Ruth was crushed but God had left her in the company of Bob and Sherry who were also devastated but were there by her side for her comfort. Now the foursome of friends was down to three, but the Valeko's continued their card nights, finding subs to partner or playing three hand games. When Bob passed away, Ruth knew well how Sherry's heart was breaking and gladly took her turn caring for her best friend. These senior citizen "girls" continued to spend many days a week together, right up to the day before Ruth joined Bob and Ken. Ruth had strong faith throughout her years, and she and Ken returned to regular church visits in the early 1990s. She was baptized by Father Eric Geib at Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church on April 26, 1992. This was a special moment for Ruth not only because she was pronouncing herself publicly as one of God's fold, but also because she was able to do so through a pastor that was also a neighbor and friend. Father Geib's wife Betty Ann became a great friend to Ruth, sharing the same kind of love Ruth showed to others. Betty Ann brought soup to Ruth many times through her health struggles, and even when she no longer felt hungry, Ruth savored the soup Betty Ann had made for her. Another special friend in Ruth's life was Wally Fillingham. After Ken's passing Ruth found herself wishing for some companionship, and Wally, whom she met through church, stepped up to the challenge. A former woodworking professor, father and grandfather, Wally shared many of the same hobbies and love of family with Ruth. The two became fast friends, and Ruth also developed a close relationship with Wally's daughter and son in law, Barb and Mike Blowers. Wally's health declined as he struggled with Dementia. Once again, Ruth's caretaking instincts took over, caring for him and continuing to nurture her relationship with the Blowers'. By the time Wally passed, Barb and Mike Blowers had long forgotten that Ruth was a friend; by that time, she was Family. Ruth's life, from the time she was a small child until the very day she passed, revolved around caring for others. Her children, grandchildren, family, friends, and neighbors were held close in her heart always. She worked for them, baked for them, sewed and crocheted for them, created for and comforted them. If there is one lesson we can all take from her eighty three years of caring, it is that Love is more than a word, it's an action. If we can each take a little of the love she shared with us and pass it along to another, her legacy will never leave us. In lieu of flowers the family suggest memorial contributions may be made to Lord of Life Lutheran Church or Hospice Care of SW Michigan.