Ruth M. (Gray) Ertel, 77, of Magna, Utah, formerly of Elkville, passed away on January 1, 2005 at Salt Lake City, Utah from Multiple Myeloma.
Ruth was born November 3, 1927 at Elkville, the daughter of Arthur B. and Gertrude (Ponder) Gray.
She graduated from Elkville High School in 1945.  After visiting her sister, Marjorie, in Salt Lake City, she met and married Robert B. Ertel on September 3, 1948.  In 1954, Ruth and Bob moved to Magna, Utah.  Ruth worked for Sears and then later became executive secretary for N.C.R. Corporation where she remained until her retirement.
Ruth and Bob fulfilled their dreams of traveling.  They have been to every continent.  They traveled to such places as the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Antarctic, China, Russia, Europe, Indonesia, and Africa.
Ruth was active in PTA, Valley Fair Mall Rats, and the Magna Senior Citizen Center.
She is survived by her husband of fifty-six years - Robert Ertel, one daughter - Pamela Christensen and husband Brian, one son - Jeff Ertel and wife Cherie, four grandchildren - Andrew Reinkoester and wife Sarah, Erin Reinkoester, Christopher Ertel, and Keri Nielsen and husband Joshua, all of Magna, UT, four sisters - Marjorie Ertel of Colorado Springs, CO, Ilene Furlow of Christopher, IL, Mildred Barwick and Rose Tow, both of Elkville, IL, one sister-in-law - Phyllis Gray of Hartford, IL, one brother-in-law - Richard Ertel of Arizona and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents and three brothers - Robert Gray, Jim Gray and Bill Gray.
Memorial services were held at Intermountain Baptist Church in Magna, Utah on January 5, 2005.
Obituary courtesy of Searby Funeral Home in Du Quoin.
