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Ruth H. Barber

Normal- Ruth H. Barber, 106, passed away Sunday, June 3rd, 2012 at 11:15 A.M. at Heartland Health Care surrounded by family and staff. She resided at 103 West Vernon prior to her stay at Heartland Health Care, (Manor Care) in Normal.

Services will be held Tuesday, June 5th, at Kibler Brady Ruestman Memorial Home in Bloomington at 7 P.M. with the Rev. Susan Baller-Shepard officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M. until time of the service on Tuesday. Burial will be in Moss Ridge Cemetery, Carthage, Illinois with Graveside Services at 3 P.M. Wednesday, June 6th.

She was born, April 28, 1906, the daughter of Charles and Emma Clere Hayes, in Carthage, IL. She married G. Bradford Barber, August 31, 1932. He preceded her in death, October 28, 1993.

Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers and one sister. She is survived by four nieces: Gloria ( Richard) Hayes Rayburn, Dewey, IL, Eleanor Rucker Cutler, Carthage, Il, Rosemary( Bob) Hayes Knox, Prospect, KY, and Joyce Hayes Pomrenke, Bloomington, IL.and many great nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Barber had been a prior member of First Presbyterian Church in Normal.

She graduated from Carthage High School in 1924, and attended Carthage College. She also attended Muscatine Iowa Junior College where she took secretarial courses. Mrs. Barber was on the editorial staff of the Hancock County Journal in Carthage prior to her marriage. She was secretary to the Chief Clerk of the War Price and Rationing Board during World War II. She also worked as a secretary in the Bureau of Educational Research in the Office of the Journal of Higher Education at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, while her husband was getting his doctorate in speech at the university.

Mrs. Barber joined the staff of the Normal Public Library in 1958 . She had the distinction of working under each of the head librarians for the following 25 years. She was a member of the Faculty Women's Club of Illinois State University, and a member of the Illinois State Universities Annuitants Association. She was a volunteer at Manor Care Health Center in Normal for ten years, and was very proud when made the volunteer of the year.

Memorials may be made to the State Universities Annuitants Association Foundation, 217 E. Monroe, Suite 100, Springfield, IL 62701.

The family is deeply grateful to the loving care given to her by the staff at Heartland Health Care; they were truly her second family.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at kiblerbradyruestman.com.