This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Ruth Ann Keller, 89 years old, born on October 19, 1922, and passed away on November 1, 2011. We will remember her forever.
Well, ten years have passed but it seems like only a short time since Mom died. How I wish I could go back fifty years; I would have been a better daughter. It seemed like Mom would live forever but in reality nothing lives forever except memories and thank heavens, at 74, I still have a good memory.
One of the funny stories I remember of my mother.....(this was before I was born) Mom and Dad were sitting at the kitchen table where Dad was reading the newspaper. Mom kept trying to talk to him but he was more interested in the news.
Mom was pretty creative. Without his knowledge Mom reached out and took the pack of matches laying by the cigarettes Dad always smoked and quietly set fire to the newspaper in Dad's hand. THAT got his attention for sure.
I love you Mom and miss you every day. I know all my dogs are surrounding you and being loved by you in my absence. Thank you for everything, you were a kind and loving mother.
One of the funny stories I remember of my mother.....(this was before I was born) Mom and Dad were sitting at the kitchen table where Dad was reading the newspaper. Mom kept trying to talk to him but he was more interested in the news.
Mom was pretty creative. Without his knowledge Mom reached out and took the pack of matches laying by the cigarettes Dad always smoked and quietly set fire to the newspaper in Dad's hand. THAT got his attention for sure.
I love you Mom and miss you every day. I know all my dogs are surrounding you and being loved by you in my absence. Thank you for everything, you were a kind and loving mother.
So hard to believe my mother would have been 99 yesterday, She's been gone just shy of 10 years and wow, have those years flown by. There are so many things I remember about mom all adding up to a wonderful mother gone too soon for my liking. God Bless You, Mom.
Happy Birthday Aunt Ruth! You were always so free to smile.....I'll forever remember the good times when we would all be in LBI together!
Happy Birthday, Mom! Mom would have been 98 today and how I wish she was still with us. Mom left this world when she was 89. I thought she'd live forever. I miss her so much.
October 19th, Happy Birthday, Mom! Had you lived today would be your 97th birthday. Dan sent me old negatives many of the pictures I'd never seen. Frank bought a scanner and was able to print them. I'll add a few to this page for you.
I love you, Mom. You were the best mother anyone could ever have and you're dearly missed by all that knew you. My friends were so jealous because you were also the best baker in the neighborhood and I have the girth to prove it.
I sent Betts a few of the newly discovered photos; some were of Aunt Bucky in Vermont. We're all getting older but Betts is still kicking in Florida. I can't believe I'm 72 now, where did my life go?
I hope you're at peace and now have Eileen with you and the rest of our family.
Thank you for being such a wonderful mother.
All my love, forever. Susan
I love you, Mom. You were the best mother anyone could ever have and you're dearly missed by all that knew you. My friends were so jealous because you were also the best baker in the neighborhood and I have the girth to prove it.
I sent Betts a few of the newly discovered photos; some were of Aunt Bucky in Vermont. We're all getting older but Betts is still kicking in Florida. I can't believe I'm 72 now, where did my life go?
I hope you're at peace and now have Eileen with you and the rest of our family.
Thank you for being such a wonderful mother.
All my love, forever. Susan
It's so hard to believe Mom has been gone seven years and would have celebrated her 96th birthday, today. And hard to believe that my sister, Eileen, and Uncle Jack have also been gone a year. God bless them all. They are all dearly missed.
My heart breaks knowing they're gone but I also believe they're with me each and every day, along with Dad and my grandparents.
We'll meet again someday.
My heart breaks knowing they're gone but I also believe they're with me each and every day, along with Dad and my grandparents.
We'll meet again someday.
So many things left unsaid. So many unanswered questions. How I miss my mother and wish she was still here today but I know she's watches over me and still loves me as much as I love her.
God looked around His garden
And He found an empty place.
And then He looked down
upon the earth,
And saw your tired face.
He put His arms around you,
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering,
He knew you were in pain,
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough,
And the hills were hard to climb,
So He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered "Peace be thine."
It broke our hearts to lose you.
But you didn't go alone,
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
And He found an empty place.
And then He looked down
upon the earth,
And saw your tired face.
He put His arms around you,
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering,
He knew you were in pain,
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough,
And the hills were hard to climb,
So He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered "Peace be thine."
It broke our hearts to lose you.
But you didn't go alone,
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
Mom, I love you today as much as I have loved you all the days of my life. Thank you for loving life enough to bring me into the world as your first child.
Please take care of my pets. I believe you will be seeing Tank very soon. I know you'll love them as I do. I miss you, Mom.
Susan
Please take care of my pets. I believe you will be seeing Tank very soon. I know you'll love them as I do. I miss you, Mom.
Susan
When God called you home
When God called you home, it was a birthday celebration in heaven.
For the angels rejoiced to welcome you. Your family and loved ones were there to greet you. Most of all, Jesus was waiting with an outstretch arm.
In His gracious mercy and love, He welcomed you home. It was the day you were born unto Heaven.
When God called you home, it was a birthday celebration in heaven.
For the angels rejoiced to welcome you. Your family and loved ones were there to greet you. Most of all, Jesus was waiting with an outstretch arm.
In His gracious mercy and love, He welcomed you home. It was the day you were born unto Heaven.
Well, it's been one year since Mom's passing and not a day goes by that I don't think of the last visit we had just six short weeks before her death. I was so lucky that she waited until I could make the long trip to WY. to see her again. The first day I saw her was rough. She was sitting just fidgeting and staring blankly.The following day she said, "I love you, too, Susan" ! Thank God!
Ruth, I wanted to personally Thank You for everything that you have done for me. You were a very special person in my life. I think of you as my adopted Mother. You were also kind enough to give me your daughter’s hand in marriage. I always enjoyed our many conversations together. I will keep you in my prayers. Susan, Dan, Eileen and Sheila: I am very sorry for your loss. Mike
Being at the lake with Ruth when I was a kid was a terrific time. She was always so patient with me and I really looked up to my pretty cousin. Those were good days that I'll remember forever. Be at peace, Ruth.
Betts
Betts
Dear Susan (and Danny, Eileen & Sheila), My deepest sympathy to you on the loss of your mother. No words can express the sadness that we all feel right now. But, as time goes by, you'll feel your mother's presence still there with you in your heart more strongly than ever and you will draw a great strength from this. It is a strength that you will find hard to believe was ever possible.
I have a lot of happy memories of Mom Mom. I remember how much Mom Mom loved music and dancing. She would help me learn my dance moves from dance class and how to keep with the rhythm of the song. I also remember all of the beautiful dresses that Mom Mom and my mom would make together for me when I was a little girl. I always loved looking at all of her glass birds that she collected :-)
When I was a child growing up in Elizabeth I always thought Aunt Ruth was so beautiful with her dark hair and her smile. She was such a nice person........I can't remember ever hearing her raise her voice.
I got to spend some time with her when she came East after Tiny's death. She worked so hard getting that house ready to sell. I will miss her.
I got to spend some time with her when she came East after Tiny's death. She worked so hard getting that house ready to sell. I will miss her.
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Recent Tributes
Well, ten years have passed but it seems like only a short time since Mom died. How I wish I could go back fifty years; I would have been a better daughter. It seemed like Mom would live forever but in reality nothing lives forever except memories and thank heavens, at 74, I still have a good memory.
One of the funny stories I remember of my mother.....(this was before I was born) Mom and Dad were sitting at the kitchen table where Dad was reading the newspaper. Mom kept trying to talk to him but he was more interested in the news.
Mom was pretty creative. Without his knowledge Mom reached out and took the pack of matches laying by the cigarettes Dad always smoked and quietly set fire to the newspaper in Dad's hand. THAT got his attention for sure.
I love you Mom and miss you every day. I know all my dogs are surrounding you and being loved by you in my absence. Thank you for everything, you were a kind and loving mother.
One of the funny stories I remember of my mother.....(this was before I was born) Mom and Dad were sitting at the kitchen table where Dad was reading the newspaper. Mom kept trying to talk to him but he was more interested in the news.
Mom was pretty creative. Without his knowledge Mom reached out and took the pack of matches laying by the cigarettes Dad always smoked and quietly set fire to the newspaper in Dad's hand. THAT got his attention for sure.
I love you Mom and miss you every day. I know all my dogs are surrounding you and being loved by you in my absence. Thank you for everything, you were a kind and loving mother.
Gallery
Ruth and Jim's wedding June 1, 1946 with Warren and Annie Keller and Catherine and Lloyd
Emerald Acres, Lincoln, Vermont
Ruth, Sheila and Jim playing Scrabble in Norridge, IL. 1972
Ruth and Jim 1992
Mom, Sheridan, Wyoming 2007
Jim, Ruth, Sheila, Dan and Pam with their kids July 1981
Ruth and Eileen, Sheridan, WY. Aug. 2007
Recent stories
The Last Visit
I visited my mother 6 weeks before she passed away. Living several states away I hadn’t seen mom since my father died eight years prior. She’d had Alzheimer’s for several years and seemed lost in a fog when Frank and I arrived at the nursing home. Mom had known Frank from the time they lived in Norridge, Illinois 40 years ago when we started dating. She seemed to remember him but was trying hard to remember from where.
Frank and I brought 2 small photo albums one with photos of mom from birth until she and my father married. The second album contained photos of her 4 children starting from the time I was born. I was her first born child and I hoped because of that she would always remember me. I believed a woman would always remember her first born child because that moment would change her life forever.
The second day of the visit the 3 of us were sitting and reminiscing of my childhood days. I said I remembered a Can-Can costume my mother had made for herself. I stood up to demonstrate the dance and at the end turned around and flipped up my imaginary skirt. Mom actually laughed out loud. When I said I love you, Mom she replied, “I love you too, Susan”. She knew who I was!
The last day of our visit was difficult for all of us. Although Frank and I talked about renting a place on Sheridan, WY. to be closer to her I knew in my heart that day might be the last day I saw my mother alive. I believe in my heart my mother also knew that was the last time she’d see me, too. Sadly, that was the reality. Mom quietly passed away 6 weeks later. It was as if she waited to see the first born child she hadn’t seen in many years and when I left she felt she could go too.
My brother, Dan, officiated at her memorial service when the 4 siblings could gather together in Wyoming. Although mom never went to Ireland where her grandparents were born she loved all things Irish. Frank bought a CD of Roma Downey’s entitled, Healing Angel, which we played at the service. One song, Irish Blessing, was especially touching.
Irish Blessing
My mother, Ruth Ann Sullivan Keller, 1922 - 2011
May she rest in peace surrounded by her loved ones, forever. I love you, Mom.
Frank and I brought 2 small photo albums one with photos of mom from birth until she and my father married. The second album contained photos of her 4 children starting from the time I was born. I was her first born child and I hoped because of that she would always remember me. I believed a woman would always remember her first born child because that moment would change her life forever.
The second day of the visit the 3 of us were sitting and reminiscing of my childhood days. I said I remembered a Can-Can costume my mother had made for herself. I stood up to demonstrate the dance and at the end turned around and flipped up my imaginary skirt. Mom actually laughed out loud. When I said I love you, Mom she replied, “I love you too, Susan”. She knew who I was!
The last day of our visit was difficult for all of us. Although Frank and I talked about renting a place on Sheridan, WY. to be closer to her I knew in my heart that day might be the last day I saw my mother alive. I believe in my heart my mother also knew that was the last time she’d see me, too. Sadly, that was the reality. Mom quietly passed away 6 weeks later. It was as if she waited to see the first born child she hadn’t seen in many years and when I left she felt she could go too.
My brother, Dan, officiated at her memorial service when the 4 siblings could gather together in Wyoming. Although mom never went to Ireland where her grandparents were born she loved all things Irish. Frank bought a CD of Roma Downey’s entitled, Healing Angel, which we played at the service. One song, Irish Blessing, was especially touching.
Irish Blessing
May the Blessing of Light be upon you; light on the outside, light on the inside With Gods sunlight shining on you.
May your heart glow with warmth like a turf fire that welcomes friends and strangers alike.
May the Light of the Lord shine from your eyes like a candle in the window, welcoming the weary traveler.
May the blessing of Gods soft rain be on you, falling gently on your head, refreshing your soul with the sweetness of little flowers newly blooming.
May the strength of the winds of heaven bless you carrying the rain to wash your spirit clean sparkling after in the sunlight. May the blessing of Gods earth be on you and as you walk the roads.
May you always have a kind word for those you meet. May you understand the strength and power of God in a thunderstorm and winter and the quiet beauty of creation, and the calm of a summer sunset
And may you come to realize that insignificant as you may seem in this great universe
You ARE an important part of Gods plan.
May he watch over you
And keep you safe from harm.
Songwriters: Phil Coulter
For non-commercial use only.
Data From: Musixmatch
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Roma+Downey+Irish+Blessing+Video&FORM=VDMHRS
My mother, Ruth Ann Sullivan Keller, 1922 - 2011
May she rest in peace surrounded by her loved ones, forever. I love you, Mom.
The Empty Chair
When God sees fit to take someone
So very close and dear
I know that he is with you
Through your worries and your fear.
He doesn't take them forever
Though it may seem that way to you
You had them longer than he did
So now he needs them too.
You will soon be with them
Someday in Heaven above
And you will live forever
In an everlasting love.
We never want our loved ones
To suffer not one day
He removes all pain from their bodies
When they go with him to stay.
He doesn't mean to make you sad
Or break your heart in two
For you are his child dear one
And Jesus does love you.
So now there is an empty chair
No one can fill that space
But your loved one is sitting there
Though you can't see their face.
There is no way that's easy
When it's time to say good by
Give them your love before they go
They live, they do not die.