Annie Ruth Love

(Annie) Ruth Love, age 100, of North Olmsted, Ohio passed away peacefully at the Silver Lake Center in Dover, Delaware on January 26, 2015.

Born in Garland, Alabama on January 10, 1915, Ruth was the daughter of the late Henry Monroe and Sara Augusta (Brooks) Ward.  After high school, she completed two years in secretarial school, and then married (Harrison) Merrill Love on July 12, 1939 in Mobile, Alabama. They settled in North Olmsted where they had three children, and Ruth became active in her church and local community including the North Olmsted Garden Club, the North Olmsted Women’s Club and a nearby golf club. Ruth represented the Greater Cleveland area at the state finals of the 1956 Mrs. America Contest. Additionally, she was Ms. Senior Ohio in the 1986 Ms. Senior America Contest in Atlantic City and was selected as Ms. Inner Beauty. She became a private pilot and flew in the 1971 All-Woman Transcontinental Air Race (Powder Puff Derby) from Calgary, Alberta to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 1986, she was recognized as Citizen of the Year for North Olmsted, and she moved to Dover, Delaware in March 2001.

 In her book, Magnolia Castleberry: A True Love Story, she reflected on her life’s experiences and philosophy of life, “…. Each day I watch the sunset and ask myself, did I help someone today? Did I make someone feel better for knowing me?”

Ruth traveled extensively and flew with Merrill to Alaska, Cuba, Bahamas, South America, Central America and Mexico. She also went to Europe, Middle East, Nepal and around the world. She enjoyed playing the piano and singing and could capture attention with her beauty, vivacious smile and exuberant personality. She will be dearly missed by her family and all those who knew and loved her.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Merrill, four sisters, Myra Rhodes, Ida Brewer McKinstry, Mary Barnes and Ercie Fuller, and two brothers, William Ward and Grady Ward. She is survived by her daughter Carole Strobl of Paris, Tennessee and two sons, Ron and his wife Gail of Wyoming, Delaware and Tim and his wife Kate of Stonington, Connecticut, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

The family is especially grateful for the care and comfort provided by State Street Assisted Living and the Silver Lake Center in Dover.

Funeral arrangements are being made for burial at a later date at the Sunset Memorial Park in North Olmsted.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the “North Olmsted Garden Club” c/o Pat Krutowskis at 9096 Calista Drive, North Ridgeville, Ohio 44039.

For online condolences, please visit www.pippinfuneralhome.com

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