Ruth Gildart

Ruth McComb Gildart, 94, died early Thursday morning, June 8, 2017. Ruth was born on a cold, blustery Christmas Day in 1922, on a centennial family farm near Millington.

Her parents were Karl McComb and Olive VanHorn who were the third generation to live in this farm home.

Ruth attended the Hopkins School, which was built in the family apple orchard on land donated by her grandfather. Teachers sometimes boarded with her parents during winter months while the roads were impassible. This continued until her mother passed away in 1932.

She attended Millington High School. In 1940 she began working at AC Sparkplug and took night courses at Flint Jr. College until she met Charles Gildart while riding on a bus in route to Millington one weekend. They became engaged on New Year's Eve and were married April 15, 1944 at the First Presbyterian Church in Flint.

In 1945, Charles accepted a position at The Dow Chemical Co. in Midland, so they moved to Midland where their daughter Kathryn was born June 1, 1949.

Ruth was very active in the Memorial Presbyterian Church. She served as president of the Women's Association and held a number of church offices. She received an honorarium from the Program Agency of the United Presbyterian Church of the USA in 1973.

She and her husband Charles met with Dr. Theodore Greenhoe of the Memorial Presbyterian Church and the Kehoe family to determine whether or not our Midland church would enjoy having Mariner groups in Midland. All agreed to go ahead with the plan.

Charles and Ruth were the first Admirals of the initial Mariner Group and then served as leaders for a few years.

Ruth enjoyed sewing clothing for her family and all the drapery for her home, gardening, reading, playing bridge and lots and lots of travelling.

She and Charles travelled to every state in the U.S. and every country in Europe, and took at least 20 cruises, mostly on the Holland America Line.

She and Charles owned a condo on St. Thomas for several years. They attended and enjoyed several elder hostels in the U.S. and inter hostels in Scotland and Greece.

Ruth worked in the Midland Hospital Gift Shop as a volunteer for several years until her health problems interfered, having more recently worked in the King's Daughters Thrift Shop.

She leaves behind her daughter, Kathryn; her son-in-law, Ron; and is preceded in death by her husband, Charles in 2008.

A memorial service for Ruth will take place 11 a.m. Thursday, June 15, 2017 at Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1310 Ashman, with the Rev. Wallace H. Mayton III officiating.

Ruth's family will receive friends at the church on Thursday from 10 a.m. until time of the service. Rather than flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider the Memorial Presbyterian Church, Midland King's Daughters Home, or the Men of Music in care of the Midland Foundation. Arranagements were entrusted to the care of the Ware-Smith-Woolever Funeral Directors.