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Funeral services will follow at 2:00 pm Monday, also at the chapel. Burial will take place in Sharon Cemetery, Drexel, Missouri. Memorial contributions may be made to Drexel Public School Foundation. Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.
Ruth Marie was born on September 14th 1936, to Inez Miller Murphy and John Frank Murphy, in the family home in Drexel, Missouri. With bright red hair like her mother, and blue eyes like her father, she was the delight of her parents and for the first years of her life all was well and happy.
But the marriage of Inez and John ended in divorce and John was granted custody of the child who, with the assistance of hired help and a gracious God, he guided through childhood and the teenage years until, at eighteen, Ruth met the man who would become her husband.
Harvey Nichols Lee and Ruth were married on April 11, 1955. Their union was blessed with 3 wonderful children; John Leslie Lee, David Nichols Lee, and Brenda Kay Lee Marks.
The marriages of these children added 2 loving daughter's in-law, Janice Lee and Lisa Lee, and a fantastic son-in-law, Dan Marks... along with the Marks family that Ruth considered as her own. Her tree of life was completed with the arrival of 7 dearly loved grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren; Jonathan Lee, Jeremy Marks, Christina Nichole Lee, Jeffery Marks, Kelsey Lee, Thomas Marks, and Mackenzie Lee. And 2 step-grandchildren, Josh and Samantha Chamberlin. Her great-grandchildren are Taylor Nichole Lee, Alexander Xavier Lee, Ekatarina Lee, Gracie and Allie Marks, and Bennett Lyons.
Ruth was the only child of an only surviving child, of an only surviving child meaning that the Murphy linage by name ended with her marriage. Even so, she gained something of more value; she acquired the family she'd yearned for.
Proceeding her in death; her sister by marriage, Maxine Dougan, and brother by marriage, Robert Lee. Also passing to glory before her were her parents by marriage, Leslie and Anna Lee, and her natural mother and father, Inez Gillion and John Murphy.
Surviving her are her husband, Harvey Lee of the home, Ray Lee, Bess Brantner, Pauline Zeigler, Ethel Dougan, and Russell Lee along with their spouses and many nieces, nephews and cousins, all of whom were dear to her heart.
Ruth enjoyed life. She enjoyed laughing, dancing, traveling, and visiting with neighbors, friends and family -- or anyone else she came in contact with. The ability to converse with others was something she considered to be a gift. A special talent and one she didn't let go to waste, - often to the dismay of her family.
Another God given talent Ruth possessed was an ability to move others with words on paper. For many years she wrote a weekly column for The Drexel Star and during her lifetime much of her work was printed in anthologies and a variety of magazines. One of the articles she took humble credit for having written, a personal essay titled "God Doesn't Make Nobodies," was reprinted by at least five publications.
Ruth was a Christian wife, mother, and grandmother. At an early age she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior, and was baptized into the faith, worshipping on a regular basis in both the Church of the Nazarene and the United Methodist Church, and daily doing her best to follow the example set by Christ.
You will not be surprised to know that this Celebration of Life service was planned in advance by Ruth. She loved all of you. And she asks this of you…. "Continue to live with love in your hearts. Love for God, love for each other, and love for yourselves."
"And hey, don't forget to laugh!"
"And hey, don't forget to laugh!"
