Ruth Millicent Taylor

Ruth Grady Taylor was born May 10, 1930, on a farm near Glasgow, Missouri, the daughter of Stanley and Millie (Wilkerson) Grady.   She grew up outside Glasgow where she attended country school, and graduated as valedictorian from Glasgow High School in 1948.  She went to Central College in Fayette, and then to Northeast Missouri State in Kirksville, where she earned a Bachelor degree in business graduating in 1952.

She then moved to Des Moines and worked at GMAC and United Federal Savings & Loan. She met Dave Taylor at the First United Methodist Church, and they were married there on August 5, 1956. They were members of the M&M Sunday School class there for many years where they made many lifelong friends. They moved to West Des Moines in 1957, where they raised their three children.

They moved to Centerville in 1976, where Ruth was active in the First United Methodist Church, Outlook Study Group, and was chair of the local concert association for several years bringing arts to the community.   She and Dave enjoyed country life on their acreage that they turned into a wildflower prairie. They spent many winters in South Padre Island where she loved birdwatching, and they traveled the world together.  She and Dave moved to Waukee in 2014 to be closer to family.

Ruth lovingly poured her energies into caring for her family.  She took great pride in creating a lovely, welcoming home. Her husband, children, and grandchildren especially enjoyed her delicious home cooked meals. She was famous for her homemade spaghetti sauce, ham balls, barbecue beef, and best of all her homemade applesauce.  Family members who came to visit were always sent home with a jar.

Ruth died peacefully on Monday, December 12, 2022 in West Des Moines, one week after Dave, her husband of 66 years, passed away.

Ruth was also preceded in death by her parents Stanley and Millie Grady, and her sister Phyllis (Howard) French.

She is survived by her children, Cindy (John) Benson of Moorhead, MN, John (Christina) Taylor of Dallas Center, and Jeff Taylor of Palm Springs, CA; grandchildren, Claire and Sam Benson, Sarah (Scott) Cronin, and Maria (Harrison) Hoegh, and great-grandchildren, Ruthie Jo, Lana Mae, and Camden Scott Cronin.

Funeral service will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, December 23, 2022, at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory with visitation 1 hour prior. Burial will be in Resthaven Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to:  Kids World, 722 N 1st St, Centerville, IA 52544.