Ruth N. Craig, 90, of Tiffin, passed away on Sunday, September 6, 2015, at her home.

She was born on April 1, 1925, in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, to John Nelson and Olive (Hum) Craig.

Survivors include her cousin, Edward Hum of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and her cousin, Grace D. Weber, of Leesburg, Florida, as well as many more surviving cousins in Texas, Washington, Illinois, and Florida.

Preceding her in death were her parents and her sister, Helen Craig.

Ruth graduated in 1943 from Tiffin Columbian High School and in 1947 from Heidelberg College. In 1949 she received her Masters in English from Bowling Green State University. She did further graduate work at Bowling Green State University and at the University of Kentucky.

She worked for Attorney Dailey R. Turner and Attorney Thomas R. Spellerberg while in Tiffin. She became an English Professor at Asbury College near Lexington, Kentucky. While there, she worked on the Teacher Education Committee and participated in pilot education programs.

She was baptized in the Methodist Protestant Church in New Brighton and later became interested in church history, particularly Methodist Protestant. While she was a member of Washington Street United Methodist Church, she catalogued the church's library. An active member of Church and Synagogue Library Association, she wrote articles and reviews for its national magazine and led workshops at both the district and national level. As church historian, she used archival techniques in preservation to become the first East Ohio Conference Church Historian of the Year. She wrote two church histories, was president of the United Methodist Historical Society of Ohio for two years, and was awarded a life membership in the Society. As a member of the conference's Archives and History Commission, she edited three volumes of the messages of Bishop Francis W. Kearns and wrote the historical material for the conference Journal.

Ruth served as District Director of Lay Speaking, was past president of Business and Professional Women, and was a fifty-year member of both American Association of University Women and of Eastern Star.

She was a member of First Families of Ohio, her mother's family having settled in Columbiana County in 1806. In 2001, she moved to Columbiana and lived there for three years to study the local history and that of Clarion County, Pennsylvania. Ruth wrote and compiled an 800 page paternal family history, members of which were pioneering millwrights and educators in Clarion County.

Ruth pieced and embroidered two king-sized signature quilts for the 50th anniversary of the Clarion County Historical Society. She did preservation work and wrote material for the Society, including a biography of her grandfather's cousin, Col. C.A. Craig, in charge of the 105th Pennsylvania Wildcat Regiment.

As a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Tiffin, she wrote and compiled a booklet entitled "Expressions of Faith", which highlighted the beautiful birch trees, the flowers outside and the cross that formed the handles of the door, as well as the sense of worship in the sanctuary. She also authored a second, longer writing entitled "Our Story in Faith", which is a chronological account of the local faith community.


A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 8, 2015 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1065 S. Washington Street, Tiffin, Ohio 44883, with Rev. Jan Kucera officiating. A light luncheon will follow at the church.



In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Redeemer Lutheran Church (1065 S. Washington St., Tiffin) or Community Hospice Care (181 E Perry St, Tiffin).

Condolences may be sent and the guestbook signed at www.hgmackfuneralhome.com.