Ruth Miller

1917 - 2016  (98 years)

• Name	Ruth Miller  [1, 2, 3]
  Birth	23 Sep 1917	Aurora, Portage Co., OH   [4]
  Gender	Female
  Death	16 Sep 2016	Normal, McLean Co., IL   [4]
  Burial	Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL
  	Hopedale Mennonite Cemetery
  Person ID	I6860	Schrock-Birkey Connection
  Last Modified	15 Aug 2018

  
  

  Father	Eli N Miller,   b. 9 Apr 1872, LaGrange Co., IN d. 25 Jul 1929, Ithica, LaPorte Co., IN (Age 57 years)
  Mother	Amanda Hostetler,   b. 14 Mar 1882, Holmes Co., OH d. 22 Jul 1971, Peoria, Peoria Co., IL (Age 89 years)
  Family ID	F10217	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Simon G. Birky,   b. 23 Jul 1907, Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL d. 16 Jun 1993, Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL (Age 85 years)
  Marriage	25 Dec 1936	Delavan, Tazewell Co., IL
  Children	1. Jerold L. Birky   2. John L. Birky   3. Karen Birky
  Family ID	F4806	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Jan 2006

  
  

• Event Map

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  Birth - 23 Sep 1917 - Aurora, Portage Co., OH Marriage - 25 Dec 1936 - Delavan, Tazewell Co., IL Death - 16 Sep 2016 - Normal, McLean Co., IL Burial - - Hopedale, Tazewell Co., IL  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  Obit: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/obituaries/ruth-birky/article_8280bc77-d484-5af3-b10e-82f97649417a.html#utm_source=pantagraph.com&utm_campaign=%2Femail-updates%2Fobits%2F&utm_medium=email&utm_content=1C135F18D6DC37D0D7799514DE524FB611D50220 EUREKA — Nona Ruth Miller Birky, 98, of Eureka, formerly of Hopedale and Tremont, passed away and went to be with the Lord on Thursday (Sept. 15, 2016), eight days before her 99th birthday, at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Normal. She was born Sept. 23, 1917, to Eli and Amanda Hochstettler Miller. She married Simon Birky on Christmas Day, 1936. The couple lived in Arrowsmith, where Simon taught school. They later moved to Hopedale with Jerry, where John and Karen were born. In 1950, they moved to Tremont, and Ruth began working at the Sinns' Turkey Farm, Dog 'n' Suds Drive-in, and later at Nafziger Drapery shop. Surviving are two sons, Jerry (Joy) Birky, Portales, N.M., and John (Gaynelle) Birky, Minier; one daughter, Karen (Ray) Nachtigall, Hopedale; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Simon; one infant son, Robert Wayne; her siblings; and a great-grandson. Ruth was known as Little Grandma, Aunt Ruth, Mom, and friend to many. She began her life on an Aurora, Ohio, farm. She was one of seven children. The family moved to Michigan, and then, following the death of her father, they moved to Hopedale. During her high school years, Ruth, always the tomboy, and her sister Edna were the first girls to play on the boys’ baseball team. She was part of the Hopedale Mennonite Women’s group, where she enjoyed quilting. She made quilts for each of her three children and 10 grandchildren. She loved making cookies for family and friends, as well as watching game shows on TV. She enjoyed playing The Mennonite Game connecting relatives, and everyone was always impressed by her memory for birth dates of those she knew. She was a longtime member of the Hopedale Mennonite Church, where her funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday. Pastors Kurt Walker and Roger Springer will officiate. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and one hour before the service, both at the church. Burial will be at Mennonite Cemetery, Hopedale. Davis-Oswald Funeral Home, Hopedale, is handling the arrangements. Memorials may be made to Hopedale Mennonite Church or Advocate BroMenn Medical Center.

  
  

• Sources

  [S103] Steven R. Estes, Illinois Ministers Attending Amish Ministers’ Meetings of 1862-1878. [S1001] Julie Hendricks, My Miller Family Line. [S1060] Find-A-Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/169987453/nona-ruth-birky. [S11] Obituaries of Individuals.