The public is invited to a reception to celebrate Ruth Park's 100thbirthday. The reception will be held on Sunday, Feb. 3rd from 2 to 4 pm, in the basement of St. Paul's Church.
Ruth Park was born February 7, 1913 to Henry and Christina (Gerner) Barth west of Minonk.She attended the Jefferson school through the 8th grade and then attended Minonk High School. During High School she worked as a waitress for the Sutton Brother's restaurant in Minonk. Following high school she attended Illinois State Normal and got her teaching degree and then taught east of Minonk for several years.
She married Ray Park on August 22, 1933. They became parents to 3 children-raising 2 children to adulthood, an infant son died shortly after birth. She gave up teaching to raise the family and help on the farm. In 1947 she taught the Jefferson School for one year
In later years, she worked in the kitchen of Lida Home in Minonk.
She also worked for several years at the Minonk Mill during Bean Cleaning season.
She was the organizer of the Yankeetown Home Extension Unit and remained a member until she moved out of the area.
She was very active in St Paul's church activities and is still a member of the "Willing Workers". She sewed quilts for the church which donated them to the less fortunate people and in later years sewed quilts for the babies or older folks that needed a lap cover.
She doesn't have the strength that she used to and tires easily and her memory isn't what it once was; however, she is very fortunate to still live in her own home in Minonk and just passed her driver's test for another year.
At the left is a picture of Ruth as a senior at Minonk High School in 1931.