Obituary

Ruth Geneva Erhardt
March 30, 1924 — April 17, 2024
Fair Oaks
Ruth was born on a farm in rural Kemper County, Mississippi, near the town of DeKalb. She was born on March 30, 1924, and passed away on April 17, 2024, just eighteen days after her 100th birthday. Ruth was the fourth child out of eight born to James Calloway Warren and Jessie Mae Coker Warren. James, called "Cal" grew cotton and corn and raised livestock. Ruth was baptized at New Hope Methodist Church in Kemper County. She was raised in the Great Depression of the 1930's. Her older brothers were Jim and John and she had an older sister Emma, and four younger sisters, Agnes, Edna, Frances and Carolyn Faye, plus many nieces and nephews. Ruth was such a smart student in school, that she was moved ahead two grades, and entered high school at age 12. She was the valedictorian of her class when she graduated in 1940. After high school, she had dreams of becoming a math teacher, and enrolled at East Mississippi Junior College in Scooba, Mississippi. But her parents could not afford the tuition, so Ruth could not finish her education, which she always regretted.

During World War II, many people were being hired at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, Alabama, so Ruth took a test and was hired by the federal government in accounting and as an administrative assistant at Brookley. While working in Mobile, she played in a Mobile city women's basketball league.

Ruth also took ballroom dancing lessons at The Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Mobile. This is where she met dashing Willard Sibley Erhardt, whom she married on June 5, 1959. Willard worked at Brookley Air Force Base also. Their marriage was blessed with their first son, Willard Sibley Erhardt, Jr. who they called "Buddy", in 1960. Their second son, Kenton Warren Erhardt was born in 1962. Ruth retired to be a stay at home mom in 1963. She had worked for the federal government for 17 years. In 1967, Brookley Air Force Base was closed by the federal government, and Willard's job was transferred to McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento, California. They arrived in Sacramento in August of 1967.

Ruth had become a Lutheran after marrying Willard. She was confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Mobile in 1967. After coming to Sacramento, they joined Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Sacramento. Ruth was secretary of the congregation for many years. The congregation sold the church property in Sacramento and started a new church in nearby Roseville, meeting in a storefront. The new church, which was renamed St. Matthew, later located in Rocklin.

Willard died of colon cancer in 2011 at age 85. Buddy had married Jennifer Wang, and had children Grace, in 1992, and Michael, in 1998. Ruth had her hundredth birthday on March 30, 2024. She passed away peacefully exactly as she wanted; in her home, in her easy chair, in her sleep, and with her family. We praise God that she has left this imperfect world and is in a better place with Willard.