Ruth Louise Lucas

Ruth Louise (Uitvlugt) Lucas Kalamazoo Ruth Louise Lucas (Uitvlugt), 76, went to be with her Lord Tuesday, June 16, 2009 after a lengthy illness. Ruth was born February 24, 1933, in Byron Center, Michigan to John and Nellie (Hartger) Lucas. She married Peter S. Uitvlugt on October 23, 1953 in Cascade, Michigan; he preceded her in death in 1982 at age 51. Ruth resided in the loving care of her daughter and son-in-law, Heidi and Michael Fonger, for the last eight months of her life. Ruth was the first paid employee of the Battle Creek Community Foundation where she worked 21 years until her retirement in 1995. She served as a board member of the Battle Creek Christian School and Kambly School; a volunteer at the Kalamazoo Pregnancy Center; and as a Deacon and Elder at both the Christian Reformed Church of Battle Creek and the Westwood CRC of Kalamazoo. Ruth devoted much of her time to serving her church, caring for others, and to her beloved children and grandchildren. She loved music and played the organ and piano at the churches she attended; she enjoyed sewing and gardening. She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Kenneth and Jane (Muzi) Lucas, Paige, and Paul (East Lansing); David and Catherine (Christ) Lucas (Battle Creek); Steven and Linda (Willett) Lucas, Carolyn, Stephanie, and Mary Kate (Milwaukee, WI); and Heidi (Lucas) and Michael Fonger (Kalamazoo); Siblings Marge Woltjer (Grand Rapids), Orma Slater (Lyndon, WA), Betty Cooper (Grand Rapids), Leon and Betty Lucas (Bridgewater, VA); in-laws, Rev. Calvin Niewenhuis (Zeeland), Rev. Jacob and Ruth Uitvlugt (Holland, MI), Catherine and Eugene Pott (Kentwood); and 24 nieces and nephews also survive. Her parents; sister, Ethel Niewenhuis; brother, Steven Lucas; and brothers-in-law, Thomas Cooper, Rev. Ronald Slater, and James Woltjer preceded her in death. Visitation hours will be 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m., Friday, June 19, 2009, at Langeland Family Funeral Home, 3926 S. 9th Street, Kalamazoo. The funeral service will be held at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, June 20, 2009, at Westwood Christian Reformed Church, 620 Northampton Road, Kalamazoo, Michigan. There will be a private family committal service at Memorial Park Cemetery in Battle Creek following the funeral. The family requests memorial contributions be made directly to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Epilepsy Foundation, Battle Creek Christian School or Kalamazoo Christian School Association. Please see www.langelands.com for online obituary, directions, register book and condolences. 343-1508.