Ruth McElvain Hibbs, 1900-2004

Daily Iowegian - 24 February 2004

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  Ruth Hibbs, 103, passed away Feb. 23, 2004 at the Centerville Nursing & Rehab Center. She was born Sept. 7, 1900, near Numa, the daughter of John and Marinda (Stoner) McElvain.

  She attended the North Wilson rural school and Seymour High School where she graduated in 1919.

  As a young woman, she became a member of the Seymour Baptist Church. In later years, she attended the Jerome Methodist Church where she had gone to Sunday school as a child.

  On May 4, 1921 she was united in marriage to Harley Hibbs of rural Seymour. They spent most of their married life on their farm near Numa. He preceded her in death in 1995. They were parents of two daughters, Donna Lorene Davis of Numa and Dorothy Colleen DeVore of Seymour.

  After her husband's death, Ruth continued to make her home on their farm for as long as she was able to live alone. She later lived with her daughters on a rotating basis. In the fall of 2000 she began living at Centerville Nursing & Rehab Center where she received excellent care.

  Ruth loved to be outdoors and enjoyed vegetable gardening and caring for her many flowers, which were her pride and joy. She was also an avid seamstress, enjoying sewing for her daughters and grandchildren. She made baby quilts for her great-grandchildren and also crocheted many afghans for family members. Ruth was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, as well as a loyal friend to many. She was always available to help those in need. She was a charter member of her neighborhood Booster Club.

  Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; two brothers, George and Lawrence; one sister, Ada McCabe; and five nephews, Marvelle, Donald, Harold and Richard McElvain and Eugene Hibbs.

  She is survived by her daughters, Donna Davis and her husband, Milan, of Numa and Dorothy DeVore and her husband, Kenneth, of Seymour; eight grandchildren, Kay Singley and her husband, Rob, of Moulton, Jan Berner and her husband, Kim, of Albia, Bruce Davis and his wife Deana, of Numa, Kathy Heitmeyer and her husband, Carter, of Centerville, Kristen Kruger and her husband, Ken, of DeWitt, Dorine Sales and her husband, Dan, of Centerville, Denise Draper and her husband, Brian, of Corydon, and Martin DeVore and his wife, Rochelle, of Cedar Rapids; four nephews, Marion, Stanley, Forrest and Paul McElvain; and two nieces, Marjorie Inman and Kathleen Davison.

  Her 18 great-grandchildren are Andrea Spring and her husband, Daniel; Rachel Singley; Beth and Jill Berner; Jon, Maria and April Davis; Tara and Tonya Heitmeyer; Stephanie and Jennifer Kruger; Ashley and Ryan Sales; Brett and Brock Draper; and Melette, Maryn and Holden DeVore.

  Services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at Randolph Funeral Home in Seymour with Pastor Kay Singley officiating. Interment will be in Southlawn Cemetery in Seymour.

  Friends may call at the Randolph Funeral Home in Seymour beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The family will greet friends Wednesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m.

  Memorials may be given to the Jerome United Methodist Church or Seymour Library.