Ruth Louise Secrist

Ruth Louise Secrist was born October 30, 1924 in rural Greene County, near Cedarville, Ohio, the youngest of four children born to Jesse and Lillian Bobbitt. She passed away at her home in Aberdeen on October 3, 2018 just twenty-seven days short of her ninety-fourth birthday. Louise attended all twelve years of school in Cedarville, graduating in 1942. Being the youngest, she was left to assist her parents on the farm after her older brothers and sister were married. She met Robert (Bob) Secrist as the result of her brother marrying Bob’s sister. Bob and Louise were married in 1946. Soon after their marriage they both became Christians. In 1948 Bob began studying for the ministry. Louise continued to work to make it possible for him to get the necessary education. For more than sixty years she assisted her husband in ministry serving as church secretary, working in Sunday Schools, youth groups, ladies groups, and youth camps. Their one child, Angela, was born while they were serving a church in Toronto, Canada. Louise has lived the last forty-three years in Aberdeen coming here with her husband in 1975 to serve First Christian Church. After that ministry they have continued to reside in Aberdeen. Survivors include her husband of seventy-two years , Bob Secrist; one daughter Angela Hughes of Aberdeen, two grand-sons Philip Brown and wife Kim of Lake, MS and Andrew Brown of Birmingham Alabama, one niece Wendy Mullins of Crossville, TN and other nieces and nephews in Ohio. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Howard and Wendell Bobbitt and one sister, Dorthea Kelble of Xenia, Ohio. In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Assoc. P.O. Box 803638 Chicago, IL 60680-8984.