Ruth Lee (Dawson) Shank

Comments delivered at Hillsman-Hix Funeral Home by Nephew Michael Dawson January 24, 2020:

Well It's not often, if ever, that you spend your birthday putting a very cherished relative to rest. However, because of who she is, I feel literally privileged that I could be here. I have had four Aunts. My mother had two sisters and my father had two sisters. No uncles. And that's OK because all of my aunts were wonderful! My Aunt Ruth Lee Dawson-Shank is the last to pass on and find peace. I have been coming to Amelia and the Shank farm all of my life. It is in fact my Eden. My earliest memory of my Aunt Ruth Lee was when I was around four years old and my parents had dropped me off to spend a few days while visiting Virginia. My first night I woke up crying being without my parents in a fairly unfamiliar place. But Ruth Lee came to my rescue, held my hand and read me a children's story. And it did the trick! Ruth Lee is the only Aunt I didn't call aunt ...just Ruth or Ruth Lee. She is my Dad's baby sister by eight years. So she became kind of an older sister--a "slightly" older sister by some 30+ years. Prior to my Dad remarrying, and being an only child, her children were my bothers and sister.

I once gave Ruth Lee a book called Your Dash. And the dash is that symbol between your birth date and death date that appears on your tombstone. And it is what you do during your dash that is important. My Aunt Ruth Lee had a wonderful loving 95 year dash! She loved her children unconditionally. However, she did have more than her share of tragedy. Children are supposed to bury their parents not the other way around. Loosing a child is the hardest thing a parent can go through. She lost her first son Kenny at a very young age. And I know that took a chunk out of her. But she continued to be a loving positive person. She lost her husband unexpectedly and after a normal grieving began to volunteer...I was so proud of her. She set a great example. In fact I believe she had a couple of boy friends..whom she outlived. And then she lost her son Ronnie to cancer. She proclaimed then that was enough and gave orders for no one else to go before her. And then she lost her first born and oldest son Jerry, also to cancer. And as most of you know, Ruth lost her ability to walk and was bound to a wheel chair. But she remained untarnished without disappointment, always happy and literally a positivity machine. Her spirit did not diminish. No signs of rancor. Twenty two years ago when my father died I thanked her for all her support and she tilted her head and in a millisecond if not less she responded "there is whole lot more where that came from!"

Margie Ann, she could not have had a better more wonderful daughter than you. She thought the world of you..I know that personally. And Wayne you were her favorite son in law and that's not by default.

Gary she loved you and Lisa Marie so much. And was tickled pink that you became a successful airline pilot.

And she just reveled in her grandchildren and great grandchildren! And they reveled in her!

So everyone ..my Aunt Ruth Lee had a magnificent dash! I will miss her dearly. She left a legacy of love that will be remembered forever.

I would like to end by reading some slightly altered Shakespeare in her honor.

"When she shall die take her and cut her out in little stars. And she will make the face of heaven so fine. That all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun."

Thank you.

Margie I’m very sorry to hear of the passing of your Mother Ruth. I spent many a times at your house when we were young and have great memories of your mom. I would love to hear from you. Helen Rouse Reedy