Ruth Crary

Ruth Crary Ruth "Oneita" Bailey Crary, born in Alto, New Mexico on July 2, 1921 to James Samson Bailey and Mary Ann Martha Jones Bailey lost her battle with pancreatic cancer and passed away at her home in Albany, OR, on September 17, 2012 at the age of 91. Ruth was the youngest child of seventeen, 5 boys and 12 girls, two of which died in childhood. Growing up during the Depression the family survived by farming and picking cotton. The family moved to El Monte, California in her teens, where she graduated from high school at Holiness Evangelistic Institute in 1942. She worked for a laundry from 1942-1945, ironing shirts, in Laguna Beach, CA. She was the fastest and best presser, an accomplishment of which she was quite proud. In 1945 she attended Northwest Nazarene College for one year, and remained lifelong friends with many of the students she met there. In 1946 she attended Pilgrim Evangelistic Institute in Pasadena California where she met her teacher and future husband, A. Donald Crary. Ruth and A. Donald "Don" Crary were married, January 20, 1948 in El Monte, California. Don worked as a Nazarene pastor and public school teacher and they pastured small churches where she often served as a Sunday School teacher, Director and seamstress for church plays, a bus driver, janitor, and anywhere else she was needed. They served at churches in Rosholt, SD, Mason, Carrico Springs, Crystal City, and Edcouch, TX. In 1964 Ruth and Don moved to Goshen, California where they served in various churches in the area until November 2007 when her beloved Don passed away. Ruth then moved to Albany, OR and lived with her youngest son, Jonathan Crary and his wife, Sharon, until her death. First and foremost Ruth loved Jesus Christ and serving Him. She read her Bible daily. Her hobbies were quilting, playing games, and gardening; growing her own tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables. She was well known in her Goshen neighborhood for organizing games for the children after school. Many times the neighborhood children would knock on her door and ask her husband "Can Ruth play today?" While living in Albany, she gathered twice monthly to play games with the "Laughing Ladies" of Grace Point Nazarene. She also worked out at the local YMCA three days a week. She is survived by her two sons; Philip Crary and his wife, Susan of Visalia, CA; Jonathan Crary and his wife, Sharon of Albany, OR. Seven grand-children; Jedediah Crary of Visalia; Sarah Crary of Las Vegas, NV; Daniel Crary and his wife, Rebekah of Nampa, ID; Rebekah Gasperino and her husband, Scott of Albany, OR; and Anna Crary of Visalia, her grandchildren; Heather Smith and her husband, Michael of Hillsboro, OR; Preston and his wife, Faith, of Azusa, CA. Two great-granddaughters; Lillian Parker of Las Vegas, NV and Savannah Smith of Hillsboro, OR. Two sisters, Virginia Bailey of Apple Valley, CA and Mary Stoops of Clovis, CA. And many, many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is preceded is death by her husband, A. Donald Crary; parents, James Bailey, and Mary Jones Bailey; her five brothers and ten of her sisters. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at the Church of the Nazarene, Exeter. Condolences may be made at www.smithfamilychapel.com. Services are under the direction of Smith Family Chapel in Exeter. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 P.M. on Monday, September 24, 2012 at Calvary Chapel, 2815 Pine Street Southeast, in Albany, Oregon.