Ruth Lenora Bain
Ruth Lenora Bain, 82 of Denton passed away on March 4, 2017 at her home.
She was born on April 10, 1934 in St. Louis, Mo. to William and Lenora Bain.
She is survived by her son, Keith Bryan of Richardson, Texas, daughter, Susan Ahrens and husband Dennis of Friendswood, Texas, and brother, William Bain of Napa, California. She is also survived by granddaughters Andrea Graf of Austin, Ruth Anne Graf of Plano, Marshall Ahrens and Mitchell Ahrens of Friendswood, Texas.
Ruth is preceded in death by husband Russell, daughter, Jacqueline Graf, son, Kevin Bryan and sister, Janet Quinlan.
Ruth was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Shortly after high school, she met Russell Bryan, who was an engineer at Emerson Electric, and they were married in St. Louis and started their family. Ruth and Russell were soon blessed with four children: Kevin, Jackie, Susan, and Keith.
The family moved to Richardson, Texas in 1968 when Russell was hired by Texas Instruments. The children grew, graduated from high school, and Ruth eventually worked as an Executive Assistant for several companies.
Ruth endured several family tragedies, beginning with the death of Russell in 1982 after a battle with cancer, and the deaths of two adult children, Jackie in 2001 and Kevin in 2006.
In 1990, Ruth met Joe Bain, and they were soon married and bought a home in Denton. Joe and Ruth were a happy pair for 26 years. They shared many interests, including gardening, nature, history, traveling throughout the US and Europe, and of course, spending quality time with their families and friends.
Ruth's life was dominated by several themes: devotion to her family, the church, and gardening.
Ruth's involvement with the church began as a child when she and her family were members of Epworth-Winsor Methodist Church in St. Louis. After marrying Russell, she became a member of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in St. Louis. Volunteering in various church organizations began at an early age, and remained a major component of her life. In Richardson, the family joined the Church of the Transfiguration Episcopal Church. There, Ruth was active in many church related groups, including Meals on Wheels and the thrift store. Her commitment to the church and various service organizations continued in Denton at First United Methodist Church where she was active in UMW, the FUMC Trippers, and other church groups.
Ruth's commitment to service extended to various civic organizations as well, including the Denton Newcomers Friendship Club, the Twilight Gardening Club, the Denton Women's Club, Seniors for Childhood Immunization, and Interfaith Ministries.
Another passion throughout Ruth's life was gardening. She was a Master Gardener and loved to help plants of all kinds grow. She and Joe shared this passion, and their back yard was a continuous experiment of trees, vines, flowers, bulbs, and shrubs. Joe and Ruth were an endless source of knowledge about what, where, and how to grow just about anything.
Ruth was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She and Joe were a great team for 26 years, sharing common interests, common activities, and simply enjoying each other's company. Ruth's love of her children has been unshakable, unconditional, and undeniable throughout their lives. As grandchildren came along, her devotion only increased. She and Joe were terrific grandparents who often made lengthy trips to visit, take kids to the beach, and just spend quality time. They opened their home for both short and long stays, and were a steady source of advice and love. Grandma and Grandpa will be missed.
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Published in Denton Record-Chronicle on Mar. 9, 2017
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