Ruth Mildred Kitchen Harrison

Ruth M. Harrison, 103, passed away peacefully on November 14, 2016, at her daughter’s (Marcia McMullin) home. Ruth was born on September 24, 1913, in Logan, Ohio, to the late Joseph Albert and Osa Orl (Strawn) Kitchen. She grew up in Logan, Ohio, with the love of her family, especially her older brothers and their wives. Her fondest memories were huge Sunday family dinners and trips to Columbus to visit her brothers and their wives. She married William Arthur (Bill) Harrison, II, in 1937, and spent several years in Michigan, Indiana, and Oklahoma, before moving to Billings, Montana, in 1953. There she spent her life nourishing her two great loves: her family and her plants. She believed in creating family traditions with her own family just as her parents had done. The family has many great memories to sustain them through their loss. Many of these include her fantastic cooking and baking skills. She always had fresh baked cookies waiting for her children when they came home from school or work, particularly sugar or raisin cookies. She also spent countless hours sewing all of the clothes for her daughters. We always had new and original clothes that rivaled the designer clothes of others. We were the envy of many of our friends. Her flowers were well known in the Billings area, especially her roses. Living close to the hospitals, many people would ask if they could pick a small bouquet of roses to share with their sick loved ones. Mother took great pride in being able to grow these flowers to be shared with others.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Arthur Harrison, II; daughters, Caroline Lenora and Nanette Sue (Machen); parents; brothers, Wilber, Emmet, Oscar, James Alva, and Ralph; and sisters Lena (Trott), Mary (Westbrook), Clara (Cassley), and Dorothy (Bell).

She is survived by daughters, Kaye (Ron) Stevenson, Sarah (late husband Charles) Sawyer, and Marcia (late husband Bill) McMullin; son, William, III (Betty); grandchildren, Nola Machen, Kim Stevenson, Scott Stevenson, Keri Stevenson, Lonnie Spangler, Charles Sawyer, Tom Sawyer, William Sawyer, Sam Sawyer, Darcy (McMullin) Louzao, and William Harrison, IV; and numerous great-grandchildren.

A private family gravesite service will be held at a later date at Mountview Cemetery in Billings, Montana, where she will be buried with her husband and daughter Sue. Memorial donations can be made to Hearthland Hospice, 4505 Falls of the Neuse Road, Suite 650, Raleigh, NC 27609.