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Ona Ruth Blood
SPRINGFIELD, IL - Ona Ruth Blood, 87, passed away May 22, 2013, at St. John's Hospital in Springfield. She was born June 6, 1925, in Harvey, Ill., the daughter of Thomas and Dorothy (Wierick) Riddle.
She graduated in 1943 from Thornton Township High School in Harvey and worked as a legal secretary until her marriage. She married Nile R. Blood of West Salem, Ill., in 1946, after his return from WWII.
After his graduation in civil engineering from the University of Illinois in 1949, they moved to Effingham, Ill. While in Effingham, they had a son and a daughter. The family moved to Springfield in 1967. Ona Ruth retired from Famous Barr department store, where she worked for 10 years in the Silver Department.
Ona Ruth's greatest joys were her family and friends. She enjoyed travel, being outdoors, reading and dining out with her monthly "Dinner Gang." She loved doting on her "granddog," a chihuahua named Gomez.
She was a member of West Side Christian Church since 1967, the Springfield Motor Boat Club and the Marine Bank Mariner's Travel Club.
Ona Ruth was preceded in death by her husband; parents; father- and mother-in-law, S. Lynn and Elsie Blood; brother, Thomas Riddle, and his wife, Marjorie; sister-in-law, Carol (Blood) Bowen, and her husband, Glenn; brother-in-law, James Hon; and a former daughter-in-law, Susan Powers.
She is survived by son, Thomas, of Springfield; daughter, Ellen Rae of Springfield, formerly of Naperville, Ill.; sister, Shirley (Riddle) Hon of Manteno, Ill.; three grandchildren: Jessica Dodd-Evans, Lindsey Blood and Jared Blood Powers of Arkansas; eight great-grandchildren, also of Arkansas; four nephews; three nieces; several great-nieces and great-nephews, and several great-great-nieces.
Graveside services took place Saturday, June 1, 2013, in West Salem, Ill., with interment at Moravian Cemetery, where Ona Ruth was laid to rest next to her husband, Nile.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 15, 2013, at 11 a.m. at West Side Christian Church, 2850 Cider Mill Ln., Springfield, IL. The service will be in the church's Centennial Hall, to be immediately followed by a luncheon also at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Friends of St. John's Hospital or to the American Red Cross in honor of victims of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings.
Online condolences may be left at legacy.com/obituaries/sj-r.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
We met because my Dad and her husband were in the WWII Timberwolf Army division. We visited at her home and also at the army reunions for many years. Shes my birthday sister. And love and miss her.
Mary Jane Soehlke
Friend
June 6, 2019
Tom & Ellen - I was so sorry to hear of the passing of your mom. She was such a sweet lady. It is an odd feeling to know that both of your parents are gone & that you are now an orphan of sorts. My dad passed in 1987 & mom in 1994. She lived in the house on Friars till her passing too. I walk past both your & our old house frequently since I live on the newer side of Sherwood (since 1990). You have my sympathy...
Sue (Johnson) Julseth
June 16, 2013
Dear Ellen and Tom,
Words can't express our sympathy for your loss. Your mom has been such a good friend for years. She will be missed. I am so happy that I was able to talk to her a few days before left us. Her smile and hugs will be missed.
Mary Jane and Stella Soehlke, Collinsville IL
June 14, 2013
Ellen - so sorry to hear about your mom. My thoughts are with you.
Ellen (Layden) King
June 12, 2013
Dear Ellen and Tom
So sorry to hear of your loss...your mother was always such a dear person. She put up with a lot of fun times with all of us as we grew up. Remember all the special memories and hold them deep with your heart ...god bless you!!!
Love, Kim Whitacre-Bernardoni
Kim Whitacre-Bernardoni
June 12, 2013
Dear Tom and Ellen and family -
Please accept my condolences regarding the passing of your mom. She was always a sweetheart to me - even sending a wedding gift in 1982 - a silver jingle bell Christmas ornament that I still have. Last time I saw her was at the Illinois State Library in 2002 where she gave me a big hug.
Beth Szillagyi
June 12, 2013
Ellen, so sorry for your loss. Your mom was a wonderful person and I talked with her a few times at Famous Bar. Also have great memories from the good old days and sleep overs. My deepest sympathy.
Donna (Vomachka) Benson
June 12, 2013
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