A lifelong resident of Norfolk, VA, Ruth was born on November 20, 1932, to Rayman Ellsworth and Lena Myrtle Irelan. She graduated from Maury High School in 1951. Following graduation, she worked at the Sunshine Biscuit Company for 27 years, leaving only to care for ailing family.
On September 16, 1966, she married the love of her life, Thomas Henry Jordan. They enjoyed 35 years together, highlighted by an Alaskan cruise to celebrate their 33rd anniversary.
Ruth attended Azalea Baptist Church. She greatly enjoyed sharing her love of the Bible and Christ, teaching Sunday School at Azalea Baptist Church. On her 85th birthday, her church friends shared in a surprise birthday party for Ruth, bringing her great joy.
She was a generous woman, sponsoring Native American children and donating to veterans’ charities, the American Cancer Society and various animal protection charities, among others. Every day, she would talk by phone with a severely disabled friend, Kay Watkins, to whom she would read the daily news and do puzzles and visit with.
Ruth was an intelligent woman who loved reading. One of her favorite memories is of getting her first library card. She did crossword puzzles and was tough to beat at Scrabble!
She was a die-hard Washington Redskin’s fan, celebrating every touchdown with loud cheers and singing their fight song at the top of her lungs and equally berating each mistake. Football season was something she looked forward to every year with great hope.
Ruth was a very strong person, physically and emotionally, having helped care for family members at the end of their lives and then fighting her own health battles with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that went into remission in 2006. That same year a blood-clotting problem cost her her left leg. Despite this, she stayed strong and enjoyed life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Tommy, in 2001; her mother, Lena, in 1984; her father, Rayman, in 1976; her sister, Lola, in 2015; her brother, Orion “Kendall”, in 2017 and her nephew, John, in 1978. She leaves behind her nieces, Ruth (Rob) Simmons and Jennifer Irelan; great-nieces, Rebecca (Megan) Simmons-Poppe; Rachel Simmons; Molly (Gordon) Hardy; great-nephew, Reid (Nicole) Simmons; great-great nieces, Molly Adelsbach, Cecilie Simmons and Lucy Hardy; great-great nephew, Archer Hardy; her beloved cat, Taffy and many other 4-legged family members and her nurse and good friend Mitzi Arnold, RN.
Ruth will be missed by all for her strength and calm, her love of family and friends, and her strong faith in God.
Funeral services will be held on Friday 4/12 at 10:00 am at Azalea Baptist Church 3314 E. Little Creek Rd., Norfolk 23518, followed by burial next to her beloved Tommy at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens, 6309 East Virginia Beach Boulevard, Norfolk, Virginia 23502.
