Ruth Louise Menn Anderson, born March 7, 1926 to Martha Poch Menn and Hubert L. Menn Sr. in Yorktown, Texas, passed away on September 20, 2019 in Bellaire, Texas at age 93. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 63 years, James Weldon “Jack” Anderson, her parents and three of her siblings: Hubert L. Menn, Jr.; Marian Rose Menn Knight; and Joseph Karl Menn. She is survived by her sister Martha Lamour Menn Lindemann and by her five children: Catherine Pett and husband Richard; June Gonzales and husband David; Betty Jones and husband Steven; James “Jim” Anderson and wife Dawn; Helen Watson and husband Carl. The eleven grandchildren are Jesse Gonzales and wife Urvi; Courtney Donilon and husband Andrew; Elizabeth Jenson and husband James; Matthew Jones; Austin Pett and wife Corrie; Eva Fiester and husband Matthew; Julia Jones and fiancé Michael Belo; Joseph Anderson; Collin Watson and fiancée Kahla Nelson; Susanna Anderson; and Evan Watson. Six great-grandchildren are Riya Gonzales; Maya Gonzales; Tate Fiester; Jordan Jenson; Wyatt Fiester; and Mason Donilon; with baby girl Pett expected. There are also nine nieces and ten nephews and their families.
Ruth graduated from Yorktown High School (Texas); Texas Lutheran College (now University in Seguin, Texas) and University of Texas (Austin). She worked as a teacher until marrying Jack in 1948, She followed him in his assignment to California as a U.S. Marine, and then accompanied him in his career at Exxon with moves to Wharton, Texas; Bellaire, Texas; Tripoli, Libya; Houston, Texas; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and back to Houston for eventual retirement; with trips to enjoy the family land (T. K. Rea Ranch in Pottsville, Texas, and the Menn Cottage in Yorktown, Texas) and lastly following him in their final years to The Gardens of Bellaire, in Bellaire, Texas.
Ruth grew up in her Christian faith at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Yorktown, Texas with her mother playing the organ and her grandfather preaching. She lived her faith through Bible study and Women of the Church ministries at Faith Lutheran Church, Bellaire, Texas; Union Church of Tripoli, Libya; St. Andrew’s Church in Kuala Lumpur; and back to Faith Lutheran in Bellaire. Jack and Ruth were steadfast in raising their children in the Christian faith and leaving a legacy of giving through scholarship funding at Texas Lutheran University and estate planning to support various ministries through the Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest.
In her daily life, Ruth’s priority was her husband and her five children, meeting each one’s needs with persistent attention, no matter where in the world the family was planted. In any spare time, she could be found sewing, quilting, reading, or playing bridge or dominoes. Holding and loving her grandchildren and then her great-grandchildren became her greatest joy later in life.
Visitation will be from 1p.m. – 2p.m. Thursday, September 26, 2019, at Faith Lutheran Church, 4500 Bellaire Blvd., Bellaire, Texas 77401, where the funeral services will begin at 2:00 p.m. A reception will be held at the church immediately following the service. Ruth will always be remembered as a loving, smart, prayerful and devoted daughter, wife, sister, mother, aunt and friend.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to either; Faith House at Faith Lutheran Church, the Tilden and Clara Rea Anderson Scholarship fund at TLU or the Pottsville Volunteer Fire Department.
