Obituary of Ruth Evelyn Willoughby

Memorial Services for Ruth Evelyn Willoughby of Elsberry, MO will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 20, 2014 at the Elsberry First Christian Church. Rev. Tom Schofield, church pastor, will officiate with inurnment in Elsberry City Cemetery near Elsberry. Mrs. Willoughby, 95, passed away early Sunday morning, June 15, 2014 at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry. Born September 18, 1918 in Winfield, MO, she was the first of four daughters born to Leslie and Anna Laura Brown Bacon. She was raised on a farm in Argentville, MO where she attended school thru the 8th grade. Ruth was united in marriage on April 17, 1937 to Robert Arthur "Bob" Hensley. To this union, two daughters were born: Roberta Lee and Cheryl Jean. Ruth and Bob lived in Elsberry for over 25 years, where Ruth was an active member of the Elsberry First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School and was WMU president. She served as P.T.A. President for a number of years and was a member of various organizations in the community. Bob passed away on December 11, 1964. Ruth moved to the Bridgeton, MO area where she went to work for Brown Shoe Company. She was united in marriage on October 1, 1966 in St. Louis, MO to Robert Ford Willoughby. They built a house in the O'Fallon, MO area. Ruth was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Harvester. Ruth's grandson, Scott, lived with and cared for her until 2011. She then took turns living with her daughters, Roberta and Cheryl. In August 2013, Ruth moved to the Elsberry Health Care Center where she was lovingly cared for by the center until her death. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Laura Bacon; three sisters: Audrey Smith, Jean Finnell and Wilma Montgomery; her first husband of 27 years, Bob Hensley; and her second husband of 37 years, Robert Willoughby, who died in 2003. Survivors include two daughters, Roberta Hagemeier and her husband, Norvall, of Elsberry and Cheryl Turnbough and her husband, William "Bill", of St. Louis; six grandchildren: Jamie Linn Smith and her husband, Christopher, Marleen Frein and her husband, Steve, Robert Hagemeier and his wife, Brenda, Matthew Hagemeier, Julie Hagemeier and Scott Hagemeier; and seven great-grandchildren. She also leaves several nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends. Visitation will be held from 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 20, 2014 at the Elsberry First Christian Church. Memorials may be made to the Elsberry Health Care Center in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.