Ruth Ellen Duvall, “Aunt Ruth”, passed away on December 24 at Mission Point Health Center in Jackson at the age of 101.Born on December 1st, 1920 to Gertrude (Zeiger) and Arthur Johnson at home on her parent’s farm in Three Oaks, Michigan. As the only daughter in her family with four brothers she learned to hold her own with a strong spirit and a great sense of humor that stood her in good stead all through her life.
In 1941, while working for J.O. Gilbert in their lunchroom and candy shop, she met Elmer Duvall whom she married on October 25th, 1941 before he joined the Army Air Corp. While he was in training to be a flyer and instructor on B-25’s, she was able to travel out west to Arizona and California. After the war they lived in an apartment on Seymour St. and started building their lifelong home in Jackson, completing it in 1949.
With a green thumb born of her days on the farm, Ruth loved her yard and gardens and considered “diggin’ in the dirt” as the best exercise and her “move it or lose it” attitude. She and Elmer enjoyed taking Caribbean cruises and visiting Venice, Florida to get some sun in the winter months often with friends. In the mid 1980’s they bought a cottage in Cedarville (Up North) on Lake Huron and enjoyed being active with many friends boating, fishing, snowmobiling, and of course gardening. By the time it was sold in 2010, they had remodeled the cottage into a beautiful year around home.
In addition to gardening, Ruth’s artistic skills included painting, ceramics, basket making, and all things “crafty” as well as cooking, especially baking cookies as many neighbors and relatives and friends will attest to. She also enjoyed her regular bridge club luncheons long into her later years.
Ruth was preceded in death by Elmer, her beloved spouse of 69 years, in 2010. She was also preceded in death by her brothers Robert, John, Walter and one of her nephews, Ron. She is survived by her youngest brother Reese Johnson, her nieces Becky (Johnson) and husband Tom Wales, Janice Wiltshire, Christine Criss and husband Don, Carol Walters and husband Pete as well as nephews Jay Hoffman and wife Sue, Gary Hoffman and wife Peggy, Jim Johnson and wife Pat, Dan Johnson and wife Linda, Tim Johnson and wife Nancy, Bill Johnson and wife Kathy, Todd Johnson, Steven Johnson. She is also survived by dozens of great nieces and nephews as well as dear friends and neighbors Liz Pell and Gina and Jada Huguley, and many others who knew and loved her over the years.
We will all remember her positive attitude toward life, her faith that everything will be okay, her hands covered in either flour or dirt. We will miss her giggle and twinkle in her eye but know she is at peace in her heavenly home with her husband and “everything is okay” now.
With her special love for animals, they owned a succession of border collies and she missed each one deeply after they were gone. Condolence contributions may be made to the Cascades Humane Society.
A private burial will be held in St. John Catholic Cemetery with a celebration of her life held in the Spring of 2022, her favorite season.
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