Ruth Ankeny

Ruth (Widdowson) Ankeny

February 22, 1929  ---  March 3, 2017

Ruth (widdowson) Ankeny, wife of E. Eugene Ankeny joined the church triumphant on Wednesday, March 3, 2017.  She leaves behind a son, Aaron Eugene and his wife Peggy; and a daughter, Debra Ruth and her husband Dr. John L. Briggle.  She had six grandchildren, Jarad Ankeny, Trever Ankeny, Matthew Briggle, Ryan Briggle, Brenden Ankeny and Leslie Ann Briggle, and four great-grandchildren, Bradie Ankeny, Hunter Ankeny, Mason Ankeny and Leeora Ankeny.

Daughter of  the late Harry O. and Myrtle (Henry) Widdowson she had five brothers,  Kenneth,(deceased) Wendell, Ronald (deceased), Dale and Fred and six sisters, Kathryn (deceased), Wilda (deceased), Ruby, Margie, Janet and Iris.

She has lovingly and devotedly served as Pastor’s wife for 66 years.  During that time she has always sung in the church choir, sometimes directing and occasionally developing a youth choir always sharing her joyous spirit with everyone as a friend and confidante. 

She was a graduate of Cambria-Rowe Business College.  From 1970 until 1995 she worked as secretary for a Nursing Administrator, Hospital Administrator and Doctors Medical Staff.

She has always had a special love of children which love increased four-fold in these recent years of living with Alzheimers.

She has had physical restrictions all of her life because of  pre-natal bi-lateral hip dislocations which were first treated for 3 ½ years in Children’s Hospital in Elizabeth town, PA.  In her late twenties she had a partial right hip replacement  followed by total hip replacements and after wearing those out she had second total hip replacements.  In more recent years she had arthritic deterioration of her knees which the surgeon said could not be replaced because she was a poor surgical risk.  She was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in 2011.  On the day before her 88th birthday she had a stroke and entered hospice care until her very peaceful death to this life with the assurance of a life with no restrictions in the everlasting Presence of our eternal Father.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, March 13 at the First United Methodist Church in Boca Raton.

In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made the the Florida United Methodist Children's Home.

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