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Ruth Henderson

January 14, 1932 - March 12, 2021
Grand Rapids, MI

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Visitation

Sunday, March 14, 2021
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM EDT
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions

Service

Monday, March 15, 2021
11:00 AM EDT
Live Stream
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263

The Life Stream of the service will begin approximately 5 minutes prior to the service. A recording of the service will be available about 60 minutes following the conclusion of the service.

Driving Directions

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Corewell Health Hospice
750 Fuller Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(866) 542-7945
Driving Directions
Web Site

St. Paul's United Methodist Church
3334 Breton Road SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Ruth enjoyed the spiritual and community activities of her longtime church.

Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Ball Park Floral
8 Valley Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 459-3409
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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A faithful and selfless person, Ruth Henderson lived her life with a servant’s heart. She wanted nothing more than the very best for the family she loved. Her warm smile, genuine friendship, and her natural way of showing compassion for others were her greatest gifts. Ruth will be dearly missed by her many special friends and loved ones.

The year 1932 held many special marks in history. It was the year of the tragic kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh’s infant son, a winter so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid, and the opening of Radio City Music Hall in New York City. With the promise of a new election year waiting, George and Florence (Schroy) Henderson, were eager to welcome into their hearts and home their newborn baby girl, Ruth Eleanor, on January 14, 1932 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Joining her older brother, Bob, and sister, Margaret, her birth brought light into an era of hard times.

Growing up, Ruth’s family lived on Prospect in downtown Grand Rapids. She thrived in her studies as a young student at Congress Elementary. Ruth and her sister, Margaret were very close as siblings and remained that way throughout their lives. As a family, they enjoy many memorable camping trips, time at their cottage on Camp Lake, and several trips to Lake Michigan’s shoreline in Grand Haven. Ruth found her gift in music during her adolescent years playing the piano in her high school orchestra. She was naturally inclined in both math and precision which helped her succeed during her time at South High School. Her family was very active in their home church, St. Paul United Methodist, where Ruth sang in the choir. Her soprano voice became an icon to this parish throughout her life-long membership. With her strong skills in math, Ruth pursued a business diploma from Davenport McLachlan Institute after graduating from high school.

Ambitious as well as independent, Ruth had many successes in her career as a bookkeeper. She started out at Baker Furniture where she was well loved by the staff and clients. Happy and content there, she remained with the company for many years. At that time she had continued living with her parents on the northwest side of town on Lamont Street. Later, she also followed them to their home on Newcastle SE in Kentwood. Eventually, Ruth landed at Foremost Insurance where she worked up until her retirement. She also put her skills of organization and precision to use as the secretary at her church and the secretary of her bowling league. Ruth loved to be active and involved with her work and church life. She found great joy in keeping things organized and was meticulous in keeping records in any capacity she worked. She was a true asset to any establishment she worked for over the years.

As hard as she worked, Ruth also shared a wide variety of interests. She was active on a local bowling league for many years where she made long lasting friendships. She also enjoyed traveling with this same group of friends over the years. They toured many parts of the United States including Hawaii and took a few trips to Europe. During her many trips, Ruth was on the lookout for a special spoon to add to her growing collection from her many travels. She had spoons from many different countries and parts of the world. Ruth also remained very close with her family and was always present at the many family gatherings over the years. She enjoyed playing Scrabble with her mother and sister and connecting with her many nieces and nephews. Each and every Sunday, Ruth joined a group from her church for dinner out. She enjoyed the company of friends and although she was often quiet, she shared a wonderful sense of humor. Around the house, she was meticulous about her chores and remained disciplined in her spending. She knew the value of her hard earned money and always spent wisely.

Ruth held a strong interest in her family’s history. After she retired she spent much of her time researching her family’s genealogy. Her knowledge from phone calls and research ended up in a large collection of binders organized to tell her family’s story. She also spent some time scrapbooking as well. Ruth took advantage of her time and never let a single day go wasted. After her parents both passed away, she leaned on the companionship of her special cats and always had a couple of friends around her home. A couple of years ago, when she required more help with daily tasks, she moved to Boulder Creek Assisted Living. Ruth was delighted to bring along one of her cats and quickly made friends by joining in the many activities offered at the residence. Sadly, she suffered a stroke a short time ago and her health began to decline. Ruth will forever be known for her easy-going personality and her beautiful voice that lifted the hearts of many. May her loved ones find comfort in knowing that they meant the world to her and may her memories endure in their hearts forevermore.

Ruth E. Henderson, age 89 of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away March 12, 2021. She was preceded in death by her brother, Robert (June) Henderson, her sister Margaret (Robert) Hood. Ruth is survived by many nieces and nephews and their families. The service to remember and celebrate Ruth’s life will be held on Monday, March 15, 2021 at 11 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW. Friends are invited to visit with her family on Sunday from 5-7 PM and on Monday from 10 AM until the service. For those who wish, memorial contributions to either St. Paul’s Methodist Church or Spectrum Health Hospice are appreciated. To share a memory or to sign her guestbook, visit www.heritagelifestory.com

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