Rutha Lee Blackburn Gillan, a beautiful woman leaves her mark on the world in so many ways,
and in so many hearts and souls. Ruth Gillan graced us with her presence from Wednesday,
July 26, 1922 until she departed on Friday, December 21, 2018 at 96 years of age. She was
born in Bay City, Texas to John Henry and Estella Bryan Kirk Blackburn as the fourth of five
children. She always considered herself a multi-generational native Houstonian. She attended
Reagan High School where she was active in the Reagan Red Coats Drill Team, and the
National Honor Society. Ruth enjoyed attending her 60th high school class reunion.
Ruth met her sweetheart Gowan Hardee Gillan on a blind date in 1938. They were married on
September 21, 1940. Hardee was serving in the Army, so Ruth traveled to various posts
(Amarillo and Seattle) to be near Hardee before he was shipped overseas to the South Pacific,
where he served as a Sgt. in the US Army Air Forces in World War II. After the War ended,
they settled back down in the Heights area of Houston. They were blessed with their number
one son, Garry, and their darling daughter, Gayleen.
Ruth started her 42-year work career in downtown Houston before settling into her true calling
as the Public Relations Director at st. Anthony Center, which was owned by the Sisters of
Charity of the Incarnate Word. There she coordinated fundraising events for the Sisters of
Charity and her dearly loved Nuns for 17 years.
Ruth and Hardee were active with the Parker Memorial United Methodist Church in Houston,
and then at the First United Methodist Church in Humble. They maintained strong ties to their
various social circles from the Erby Street Bunch, the SOB's (Sunday Out Bunch), Fidelis Sunday
School Class, ARCO employees group, and even maintained friendships with many for over sixty
years. They also loved to travel, taking numerous trips and cruises to places like: Hawaii,
Acapulco, Canada, Alaska, Venezuela, Nova Scotia, and Panama. Ruth and Hardee celebrated
their 50th and 65th wedding anniversaries at the First United Methodist Church in Humble,
Texas.
Ruth was active in the Believers and Do'ers Class at the First United Methodist Church in
Humble. She played piano for the class. Every event Ruth hosted included party games and
lots of fun! She was the queen of games like Skip-Be, Gin Rummy, Rummikub, Trivia, and
Word Puzzles. She loved to connect people, before networking and social media existed and
never used a computer.
Ruth was widowed when Hardee passed away in 2007. They were of married over 66 years.
She stayed active in social groups including The Golden Girls, Merry Widows and Slick Chicks.
She was the loving mother of their only son, Garry and only daughter Gayleen, as well as a
wonderful mother-in-law to Garry's wife, Gail Hudson-Gillan, and to Gayleen's husband, George
Henderson. Ruth was the doting Nanny of five grandchildren, Amy and her husband, Uwe;
Laura and her husband Ryan; Rebekah and her husband Aaron, Elizabeth, and Logan; also, to
eight great grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson. Gayleen and George were very
blessed to have shared their home with Mom for the past 2 112 years. Ruth leaves behind a
legacy of dedication to her family, fun, laughter, and loads of Love.
This world will never be the same because Rutha Lee Blackburn Gillan - A Beautiful Woman,
Wife, Mother, and Nanny, has gone on before us!
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