Masters

Ruth E. Masters, 84, of Butler passed away Friday at the VNA Inpatient Hospice.

Born in Butler on Nov. 30, 1928, she was the daughter of the late John and Viola Green Convery.

Her husband, John Masters, preceded her in death on Dec. 21, 2008. They had been married for 60 years and enjoyed wintering in Florida for many of their retirement years. The couple resided in Summit Township for 38 years.

Ruth's business career included working as a bookkeeper for John Honse Furniture, invoice clerk for Castle Rubber Co., secretary for Second Presbyterian Church and Calvary Church on the Diamond, and secretary/teller for Pittsburgh National Bank.

Her community activities included serving five elected terms as Summit Township Auditor. She was secretary of the Summit Township Municipal Authority during the acquisition of the public water system for the Chicora Road/Lick Hill area. She also served as chairman of civil defense for the township.

Ruth was a member of the Musical Theatre Guild, Sunnyview Home Auxiliary, Butler Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and First English Lutheran Church. In her affiliation with MTG, she held various offices and enjoyed working as a costumer for many of the guild's earlier productions.

Her other volunteer activities included serving as president of the Butler County Safety Council and as a member of the speakers' bureau for the Butler County United Way. She also served on the board of the American Red Cross, and she performed volunteer work for Butler Meals on Wheels and the Leukemia Society.

Ruth wanted to be remembered for her many years of volunteering at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She organized the first group of Red Cross volunteers at the request of Sunnyview administrator Dr. William H. “Doc” McCune. She then proceeded to organize the Sunnyview Auxiliary. Under her direction, the Sunbonnet gift shop and snack bar became a reality. Her most cherished volunteer activity was serving as barber for the male patients who were confined to their rooms.

The community Christmas Eve party at Sunnyview was another of her projects for 15 years. Ruth organized, planned, secured the funds and directed a team of shoppers to ensure that every patient received a personal gift from Santa.

Together with the Sunnyview nursing staff and auxiliary members, she helped to originate the annual country market. The profits from this fundraising project were used to buy televisions and furniture for the patient lounges.

In her earlier years, Ruth enjoyed roller skating, bowling, tennis and marching as assistant majorette with the CD of A Drum and Bugle Corps. In later years, she was an avid quilter who was awarded many ribbons at the Butler Farm Show.

Ruth is survived by one sister, Viola “Connie” Maletta and her husband, James, of Butler; one brother, Francis “Bud” Convery and his wife, Donna, of Knox; and several nieces, nephews and great-nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by one sister, Sister Germaine Convery, WIF.

Her parting message to all those she loved and all those who loved her was: “Grieve not … nor speak of me with tears … but laugh and talk of me as though I were beside you. I loved you so …'twas Heaven here with you.”

MASTERS — Friends of Ruth E. Masters, who died Friday, Aug. 9, 2013, will be received at the Martin Funeral Home Inc., 429 Center Ave., Butler, on Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Services will follow at 1 p.m. with the Rev. James Dollhopf, pastor of First English Lutheran Church, officiating. Burial will take place in Butler County Memorial Park.For more information, visit www.martinfh.net.