Ruth Wright Christensen Blake

Ruth Wright Christensen Blake, an elegant woman, was born in Hinckley, Utah, in 1924 and passed away just a few months before her 101st birthday.
She was the youngest of four children born to Myrtle Keziah Langston and Joseph Moroni Wright. Ruth has wonderful memories of a happy home with a gentle father and a musical mother. The Wright family had a farm in Hinckley before moving to Salt Lake City during the Depression.
Ruth received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Utah in 1948. She majored in education with a minor in music. She earned her Master's degree in reading education from Brigham Young University and became an instructor as a reading specialist at BYU for 11 years.
Ruth loved music and she had a wonderful singing voice. She sang with the Chaunenette Women's Chorus for 30 years. She loved poetry and was herself an accomplished poet.
Ruth married Earl Martin Christensen in the Salt Lake LDS Temple in 1945. Earl was a professor of botany at BYU, specializing in the research of plant ecology.
Ruth and Earl raised five children and lived in Provo; Orem; Madison, WI; Ann Arbor, MI; and Kailua, Oahu, HI. Earl was doing doctorate and post-doctorate work and teaching at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Michigan, and the University of Hawaii. He took the family to all of these places where they had many wonderful opportunities and experiences. The family loved traveling and camping and the many gatherings with their extended family.
Dr. Earl Christensen died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident in 1973.
Ruth married Rex B. Blake in the Provo LDS Temple in 1983. Rex was a successful generational farmer. He was dedicated to the Boy Scouts and was presented with the Silver Beaver Award. Ruth became a mother to Rex's six children and a loving grandmother to his family. Ruth and Rex traveled the world, were involved in many clubs and organizations, and were always learning and exploring together. It was difficult to catch them at home!
Ruth and Rex served as missionaries for the LDS Church in the West Indies from 1984-86.
They were hoping to have ten good years together but were blessed with 31 years of a fun and adventurous life with one another. Rex passed away in 2014 at the age of 100.
Ruth was a devoted and lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served as a Relief Society President three different times and also served for several years with the Young Women.
Ruth loved family history. She wrote a life history of her late husband, Dr. Earl M. Christensen. She also wrote a comprehensive two volume history of her own life. It was important to Ruth to complete family group records and short histories of the Christensen and Blake families.
Ruth is survived by her five children; CarolAnn Glenn (Earl) of Wellsville, UT; Leslie Chasteen (Gary) of Whittier, CA, Earl Glen Christensen (Julie) of Alpine, UT, Jim Christensen (Amy, deceased) of Susanville, CA, and Drew Christensen (Becky) of Provo, UT, as well as her six stepchildren; Leonard Davis (Norma, deceased), Rich Blake (Carol), Dale Blake (Irma), Karl Blake (Margaret), Susan Callister (Lyndon, deceased), and Carol Dye (Marty), and many, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren from the blended families.
Ruth had many close neighbors and lifelong friends. Everyone loves sweet Ruth!
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, March 22 at 12:00 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel located at 1122 Grand Ave., Provo, UT with a viewing beforehand from 10:30-11:30. Burial will be at the Orem City Cemetery, 1520 North 800 East, Orem, Utah.
To view the service for Ruth online please click this link. www.walkersanderson.com