Ruth Sarah Elms Lively, age 106, passed away peacefully to her heavenly home on Jan. 12, 2019. She lived at Rose Manor in Shawnee.
Ruth was born in Summers, Arkansas on Feb. 12, 1912, to Oscar and Laura Yeager Elms. Her family moved to Shawnee and farmed in the North Rock Creek area, where she also attended school.
Ruth married Roy Lively on Oct. 29, 1929. Sometime before Roy was drafted into the army, circa 1938, he and Ruth took their three young sons to California. They drove a Model T, with $13 in their pockets, which included the $4 Ruth's parents had given to them. On their journey, Roy and Ruth picked up two hitchhikers who helped to pay for their gas as they drove across country. The Model T held the seven of them and all their luggage. After their arrival to California, Roy and Ruth worked in the fields and orchards. The owner of the property provided housing for them in a tent-type structure for that year. Soon afterwards, the family returned to Oklahoma.
Roy was soon drafted and sent to France, leaving Ruth with her three young sons. She worked for friends and neighbors, saving enough money to start a small laundry business, when Roy returned from serving his country. Roy and Ruth lived for many years in Seminole and a short time in Wewoka.
Ruth loved the Lord and was always willing to pray for those who asked. She was active in church and enjoyed family time, dominoes, bowling, fishing, boating, and traveling.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Roy, her mom and dad, Oscar and Laura, her sister Ruby Hall, her brothers, Clifford, Floyd, Roy, Claude, and Lonnie Elms, as well as a daughter-in-law, Wanda Lively.
She is survived by three sons and two daughters-in-law: Kenneth and Juanita of Broken Arrow, Lloyd of Shawnee, and Jimmy and Ann of Newalla. Ruth was a beloved grandma of ten grandchildren and had many beautiful great and great-great-grand-children.
Visitation will be Wednesday, Jan. 16, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Resthaven Funeral Home in Shawnee. The service will be held at Praise Assembly of God, Shawnee, on Thursday, Jan. 17, at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Little Cemetery in Seminole.
The family would like to thank the Rose Manor nurses and staff for their wonderful love and care for Ruth over the last seven years. Appreciation also goes to Good Shepherd Hospice for their loving support.
