Ruth Baxter Testimonial by Dr. Marilyn Millwee of Midlothian, Texas

Ruth Baxter was one of the most delightful people I have ever known. She and another lady Peggy Perkle would cover for me taking care of another lady from their church so I could go to mass once a week.
so we got t know one another pretty well. She set me up with Bible course that I really enjoyed. she sponsored world Bible School which is a
correspondence course I have about seven or eight certificates of study from that course. 

The things I noticed that were unique about her were the artistic and creative ability that was reflected in the  greeting cards she sent.  There were always pretty drawings and multiple stickers of birds and flowers that enhanced the enjoyment of the greetings. 

Her  Midlothian husband TE Baxter had  been an elementary school
principal for many years. I sub teach at that school from time to time.
The teacher s lounge was most likely decorated by her, it had  artistic witty way of showing the streets of Paris, giving the teachers a sense of getting away from the  stress and hum drum of the school rooms to brighten up our outlook. 

Ruth had a great sense of humor. No matter how sad or difficult the situation I had on my mind she was always quick to make me laugh about it.  Nothing was too unhappy  for her. Nothing could make her truly unhappy. She was a delight to know and lighted up the lives of many at church as well.
      Her husband was an elder and "pillar" of the  Midlothian Church of Christ,  so they spent their time   attending to the members of that church  every wedding and funeral was attended by she and her husband. (almost) Ruth was super hospitable too. When I would stop by her house she was always invited me in for a visit and a meal. She was always sitting on the sofa with her Bible besides her reading and studying the "Word of God"  
  She was truly the minister's minister. She understood even the meanest most threatening person.Talking to them together  She and TE Baxter were like two ends of the same loaf of bread. 
    To sum it up Ruth and TE lived on a street called "Overlook" here in Midlothian. Ruth and TE were people who would "overlook" everything BUT the Word of God. Ruth was the kindness woman I have ever known. 
She is gone from the body but present with spirit. and happily reunited with those who were dear to her who have gone before to the Great Kingdom of God.

I was so sorry to hear of Ruth's passing.  She was a very special person to me.  I loved her very much.  I missed her when she moved away as did the Midlothian Church of Christ.  I will always cherish the times she helped when my mother was ill.  She and T.E. made a picture of me and my mother for which I am very grateful. May the Lord provide you strength and love during this difficult time. My love to you and your family.

I am so very sorry for your loss and wish to send my sincere condolences to your family at this very sorrowful time. May drawing close to God in prayer bring you comfort and peace knowing that he cares for you. 1 Pet 5:7

Prayer are with you during this time. Mrs. Ruth and Mr. Hoyt were Katie`s uncle and aunt.

When Ruth moved to Oak Tree she contacted the Amory Church of Christ office.  Our youth director at the time was Derrick Maranto and he called me to go with him to pick Ruth up for worship services.  She was just delightful and for over a year I picked her up on Sunday for Bible Class and Worship.  Later, she became unable to attend worship but our friendship continued.  I visited her often until my health deteriorated just before Christmas of 2015.  I never had the opportunity to meet Dave or Steve in person but did correspond with Dave by email.  When Philip Hathcock, our minister, called and told me Ruth had died, I was just devastated.  She was special and a true child of God.  She always talked about going home to Alabama so I am glad that will be her final resting place.  RIP Ruthie. I am glad you came our way.  I will never forget you.   Joan Thomas (AMory, MS)

I will miss Ruth. My brother's and I knew her as 'Mamma Ruthie'. I remember how we she would play games with us when we were young. I remember our short visits to Texas with Ruth as we grew older. I remember how intelligent she was. I am thankful she no longer suffers. I am thankful for the help provided by the Baxter family in Texas as she grew older. I am thankful to my father for the care given Ruth in her final days. I am thankful her sons and grandchildren will see her off together with the respect she deserves.  Love, Rhett

For many years, my mother taught a Sunday school class at Bettaview Hills Church of Christ in Oxford, Alabama. Some of the adults in the congregation today were probably her students then and probably vividly remember her lessons to this day. She always
went to great lengths to have a highly creative lesson complete with visual aids. Some of those children may have thought during their earlier years that Mrs. Johnson could perform miracles. one of her lessons sure to leave the greatest impact was the story where Jesus turned water to wine.
Mrs. Johnson acted out that lesson by use of tiny plastic cups with red koolaid powder hidden in the bottom. She would say something like, "Children close your eyes, and when you open them up you might see a miracle, but don't open them until I say open." She would sprinkle in the koolaid, tell the kids to open their eyes, then add the water, and oh, what a surprise. With wide, bright eyes, they would ask, "Mrs. Johnson, how did you do that?"

Steve and David,
Tommy and I are very sorry to hear of your mom's passing. Just she is free now. She will not hurt anymore.
  Y'all are in our prayers. Tommy & Sharon,Marcus & Kristi, Will and Eli Baxter

I wouldn't know where to begin. She was a wonderful mother and a fine Christian lady. I tried to explain what my mother was like to my wife cindy when I first met cindy. But I told her it was difficult because my mother was a complicated woman with so many sides and so many layers. Later, when cindy got to know my mother when she lived with us briefly, cindy said something like, "you sure told the truth, she is very hard to describe." Like I say, my mother was a fine Christain lady, but she also described herself as a tough little mill village girl from Blue Mountain. What that meant was she had a tough side and you didn't want to cross her. It just didn't pay to go against her because you were going to lose every time. She very much was a very tough little lady. She put up a good fight with her Alzheimer's. She never wanted to admit that she had it. She tried to stay strong until the very end, doing the very best that she could. This will be very hard to believe, but she was trying to write a novel while in the assisted living facility. She complained that she needed complete quiet to write her novel and of course she didn't get that at Oaktree which is a very busy place with a lot of patients being cared for and with nurses coming in and out of the room to check on her. I'm just trying to show how determined she was. I could go on and on with stories about my mother. Maybe I will write more later. I plan to pass a few more stories on to Rusty Stephens who will be the speaker at her funeral. The bottom line is I loved my mother very much and my brother and I both knew that she loved us back. We will miss her greatly. Regards, Steve Johnson

SISTER RUTH BAXTER, the best Mom a boy could ever hope to have, toiled for over seven decades in the vineyard of the Lord and community engagement. Once years ago, in her capacity as den mother of the local Cub Scout troop, she planned a day trip from the Anniston Amtrak station down toward the Lincoln area, with lunch on a quiet hillside. Soon after the train "fired up," Sis. Ruth apparently took quite seriously her job as the one "in charge of the fun" and began chanting, "We're gonna take this train to Glory Land, then we're gonna turn right back around," all the while pumping her fist in the mode and manner of an engineer. "We're gonna take this train to Glory Land, then we're gonna turn right back around." (No one really knows why Sis. Ruth kept referring to Lincoln as "Glory Land" -- perhaps it was simply because she had dear friends there, or possibly just in the free spirit of the moment, in good, clean fun). Today, Sister Ruth has taken that train to Glory Land, and this time there's no turning back. She has kept the faith; she has finished her course. May the Good Lord, whom she so joyfully and jubilantly served, grant her welcome and peace into Heaven's Gate and the rest of us honor her abiding memory and lifetime of good faith. -- son Dave/Dr. Dave Johnson, Key West, Fla. (Ruth & Hoyt's second son)**

" I'm so  sorry for your loss. Please know that the GOD of tender mercy will comfort you at this time of  sadness PSALMS 40:1

OBITUARY

Ruth Marie Johnson Baxter

September 12, 1930 – January 14, 2016

Gray Brown-Service Mortuary

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services