Ruth (Read) Gage, 94, passed away peacefully early Wednesday morning, April 6, 2022 on the family farm in Brookfield Twp., south of Marseilles. She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry, of 73 years on February 10, 2022.

Visitation for both Larry and Ruthie will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday April 10, 2022, at Seals-Campbell Funeral Home in Marseilles. A Celebration of Life will be at a later date. According to Ruthie and Larry's wishes, their ashes will be combined and laid to rest together in the Grand Ridge Cemetery.

Ruth Beverly Read, the daughter of Franklin Ebersol and Elsie (Schroeder) Read of Grand Rapids Twp., was born January 12, 1928, at St. Mary's Hospital in Streator, IL. Eighteen days later, Ruthie's mother died of childbirth complications. When Ruthie was two-years old, her father married Ruth Hagi of Ransom, and Ruthie was blessed with another wonderful mother who treated her as her own. Ruthie rode her pony or walked the two miles to her one-room Geiger School, six miles east of Grand Ridge. She boarded with the Walter Walkling family and their daughter, Marge, on Fourth Ave on the south side of Ottawa during her secondary education at Ottawa Twp. High School, coming home to the family farm only on weekends. After graduation in 1946, she was offered a job at the Lehr one-room schoolhouse two miles east of Grand Ridge. The next year she became the secretary to the OTHS Superintendent.

Ruthie married her best friend, Larry Gage, on December 19, 1948, on a snowy afternoon in the country Brookfield Presbyterian Church. Ruthie, who loved being a farm wife and homemaker, hosted many family dinners and gatherings. She was a quality seamstress and expert wallpaper hanger. Ruthie was a musician, singing solos for many weddings and was organist for the church. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many years. After their family's Brookfield Church closed in the mid 1970's, Ruthie and Larry faithfully attended the Grand Ridge United Methodist Church and were members of the choir. Ruthie put her artistic talents to work with table and wall decorations for the church's annual Smorgasbord & Bazaar. She loved attending all her husband's many fast-pitch softball games and supporting her children's school and athletic endeavors. She was a 4-H leader for the Brookfield Blue Ribbon Winners club. She loved watching the birds (specially her many hummingbirds), caring for her variety of flowers, taking winter vacations to the beaches of Florida, and summer vacations to the Northwoods of Wisconsin with her husband and friends. She was a dedicated member of the OHS Class of '46 reunion committees. In recent years, Ruthie spent much of her time painting with watercolors and designed her own Christmas cards, etc. She enjoyed meeting weekly with the "Ridge Rembrandts" Art Club. During the pandemic, she read over 100 books and enjoyed "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" on television. She never missed a Chicago Bulls or Illini game.

Survivors include two sons, Bruce (Cheryl) and Read; a daughter, Laurie Ann; a grandson, David (Kelly Zachary) Gage, all of rural Marseilles; a granddaughter, Karie (Dan) Stecken and great-grandchildren, Camryn and Costner Stecken of Seneca; a sister, Joy (John) Christie of Ottawa; a sister-in law, Melva Gage (Edgar) Madsen of Princeton, NJ; an aunt to Curt (Lori Stevenson) Read of Plano, Brian (Beth) Christie of Cedar Lake, IN, Allison (Mike) Mueller of Crystal Lake, IL, Reg (Janet) Gage of Plainfield, IL, Linda (Brian) Fluty of Bloomington, IL, Duane (Cathy) Gage of Beeville, TX; many great nieces & nephews; and "honorary daughter", Diana "Butter" (Gary) Windy of Ottawa.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Linn Read; and brother and sister-in-law, Robert "Bob" and Doris Gage, all of Grand Ridge, IL.

Memorials for Ruthie may be directed to Lightways Hospice in Joliet, Grand Ridge United Methodist Church, or Grand Ridge Volunteer Fire Department.

Seals-Campbell Funeral Home

1009 E. Bluff St., Marseilles, IL 61341

815-795-5151 www.sealscampbell.com