Ruth Marjory Lusted

Ruth Marjory Lusted entered peacefully into the presence of her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ on Wednesday morning, October 18, 2023, from her bed at White Oak Nursing Home, Waxhaw NC. She was 93 years old. She was preceded in death by her sister, Marie “Breezy” Lusted in 2017, and a niece, Joyce Willoughby in 2019. She leaves behind a sister, Anita Ackerman, of Orlando, FL; nieces, Karen (and Jim) Thompson of Brunswick, OH and Cindi Ackerman of Orlando, FL; nephews, David (and Elaine) Ackerman of McCormick, SC and Ralph (and Cathy) Ackerman of Herndon, VA; grand-nieces and -nephews, Ralph, Jr, and Jennifer Ackerman, Joshua (and Amy) Willoughby, C.J. (and Kasey) Willoughby, Rebecca (and Christian) Riggs, and Benjamin (and Kayla) Willoughby; great-grand-nieces and -nephews, Faith, Gracie, Aubrey and Graham Willoughby, Jake and Carter Willoughby, Rae Joyce, Serenity, Thea and Bear Riggs and Bailey Willoughby.

Ruth was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin on July 6, 1930, eldest daughter of the late Howard and Esther Strauss Lusted. The family moved to Washington, DC when she was six. She grew up there, attending Brookland Elementary School, Langley Junior High, and McKinley High School. In her early teens, she and her family began attending Wallace Memorial United Presbyterian Church, where the Lord gave her a love for missions. She attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL and their school of nursing at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL. After her nurses’ training she joined Wycliffe Bible Translators, and attended their Summer Institute of Linguistics. After much preparation and jungle training, she went to the northern mountain regions of Luzon, Philippines, where, for 42 years, she and her translation partner, Claudia Whittle (who has also preceded her to Heaven), lived with the Atta people, a nomadic tribe, learned their language, reduced it to a written language, taught them to read and translated the entire New Testament and part of the Old Testament.

Ruth retired in 2000, and moved to JAARS, a Wycliffe retirement community in Waxhaw, NC, where she and Claudia, and later her sister, Breezy, lived. They faithfully attended Gospel Way Bible Church where they used their talents of piano playing, singing and teaching for the Lord. When Claudia and Breezy were gone, she attended Waxhaw Baptist Church.

In 2020, Ruth moved into the White Oak Nursing Home in Waxhaw, NC. Since Ruth lived in NC and her sister in FL, Tricia Miller, her dear friend, and a former missionary to the Philippines, saw to her needs: taking her to doctor appointments (and KFC on the way back), visiting her, supplying small items that she needed, and enlisting her husband Dan (Ruth's pilot in the Philippines) for the bigger things such as walker repairs, furniture moving, etc. When she was not available, another friend, Cassandra Thompson, made the trips to doctors (and of course, KFC), and kept her room decorated for each season. Tricia and Cass had just begun taking turns watching over Ruth because of her failing condition, and Cass was just finishing her “shift” when Ruth slipped out of this life and entered into her Lords’ presence. Praise the Lord for these two precious friends. And Praise the Lord for Ruth's’ victory.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Wycliffe Bible Translators, 7405 Jaars Rd, Waxhaw, NC, 28173.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mcewenmonroechapel.com for the Lusted family.

McEwen Funeral Home of Monroe is honored to serve the family of Ruth Marjory Lusted.