Ruth Lucile Elzea

Tuesday, February 28th from: 5 – 7 p.m. at Waters Funeral Home, Vandalia.

Wednesday, March 1, 2006, 1:30 p.m.. at the First Christian Church, Vandalia, Missouri.

Officiating will be: Rev. Dr. Roger Thomas.
Music provided by: Shirley Forgy - pianist; Kevin Morris - soloist.
Interment will be: in the East Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Mexico, Missouri.

Pallbearers: James Bradford Elzea; Brandon Paul Elzea; Chad Parsons; Dennis Mommens; Chris Mommens and Ron Jackson. Honorary pallbearers: Charles Bartison; Robert Gregory; Donald Ray Morris, Tony Owens and Marvin Yager.

Ruth L. Elzea, age 89, died at 2:29 p.m. Sunday, February 26, 2006 at Country View Nursing Home in Bowling Green, Missouri.

A lifelong resident of Vandalia, Ruth was known for her devotion to teaching. She started her teaching career at the age of 16 and continued on to enjoy 43 years of teaching in rural Vandalia schools and at the Vandalia North and South Elementary Schools.

Ruth was a member of the First Christian Church, Vandalia where her Christian witness was an example for many. She taught Sunday school for many years and actively served in the Women's Ministry and Education Ministry. She was instrumental in the organization and development of the Church Library in 1970. In 1995, the Library was dedicated as the Ruth Elzea Library for grateful appreciation of her loyal devotion and unselfish service as Church Librarian. She was also a member of the Monday Study Club and the Van-Far R-1 Retired Teachers Association.

She was a 1933 Perry High School graduate and received her bachelor of science in education degree from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1940.

Born: September 29, 1916 in Center, Missouri to Roy Peter & Winnie Katherine (Schulse) Fanning.

Married: Mac Henry Elzea on August 2, 1941 in Hannibal; he preceded her in death on May 10, 1989.

Survivors include: one son: James Mac and wife, Barbara Elzea of Vandalia; four grandchildren: James Bradford Elzea of Springfield, Missouri; Michelle Alaine and husband, Chad Parsons of New London, Missouri; Brandon Paul and wife, Nicole Elzea of Vandalia and Ashlee Nicole Elzea of Vandalia; six great-grandchildren: Kinley Anna, Katie Ashlyn and Klair Alaina Elzea; Jacob Andrew and Jordan Alexis Garner and Makenna Nicole Unglesbee all of Vandalia; one sister: Billie and husband, Everett Ray of Perry, Missouri; several nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by: husband and two infant sisters.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are encouraged to
the First Christian Church, Vandalia
or to the
Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri