Ruth Adair

November 2, 1918 - May 22, 2015
Ruth Nell Adair, of Hagerman, New Mexico, passed away Friday morning, May 22. She had been ill for some time.
Born November 2, 1918, at her family's home in Boswell, Oklahoma, Ruth Nell Neill was the eighth of nine children born to Joe M. Neill (b. 1880) and Cleo Annie (Grise) Neill (b. 1881). Her parents were natives of Kentucky, arriving in Indian Territory around the turn of the century.
Mrs. Adair attended schools in Boswell, beginning in 1924. In the summer of 1932, when she was 13, her mother died of appendicitis, leaving those children remaining at home to live with friends and relatives. Ruth Nell lived with a neighbor, Mrs. Hopkins, and later with her sister Pauline and her husband Leonard Thompson. She graduated from Boswell High School in 1936.
On December 25, 1939, she married Joe H. Adair, her high school sweetheart. They lived in several teacherages in the 1940s as he taught school in a number of small communities, including one-room school houses, and as Ruth Nell also taught school under an emergency war-time teaching certificate.
Thereafter, Ruth Nell was a stay-at-home mother of four on the small ranch they had purchased together in 1946. In 1959, they moved their family to Hagerman, New Mexico. Ruth Nell worked at Irby Drug Store and then Wallace Drug Store in Hagerman until 1970.
Though raised a Methodist, Mrs. Adair was baptized in 1943 as a member of the First Baptist Church of Boswell, Oklahoma, after her husband had made a profession of faith and had joined the church. Thereafter, throughout her life until her health failed, she continued to be a devout Christian, and a devoted Southern Baptist. She actively participated in every aspect of Southern Baptist life, including worship services three times a week, as well as Sunday School, Training Union, Church Training, Women's Missionary Union, and meetings of the Pecos Valley Baptist Association. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Hagerman for almost 56 years, from 1959 until her death.
Mrs. Adair was raised during difficult economic times and circumstances, with her mother's death at the worst time of the Great Depression. It was the generous nature of her own upbringing and the characteristics of her own family and friends that she reflected throughout her life. She was a caring and generous person who never met a stranger, and who never failed to invite everyone into her home, asking even the casual visitor or people she had just met to stay for dinner, or to share a meal. She was a loving mother, wife, aunt, niece, cousin, and friend for whom family and friendships meant so much. She never wanted to be in the spotlight, but had a servant's heart and always lived her life that way.
Ruth Nell was married to Joe for almost 68 years. They had four children, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Two children preceded her in death, Joe H. Adair, Jr. and Bobby Adair, who lived with his wife Linda, of Springville, California. Her surviving children are Buddy Adair of Westbrook, Texas, Rod Adair and his wife Dana, of Roswell.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters, Lois Trout, Obera Neill, Joe M. Neill, Jr., Pauline Thompson, Rex Neill, Laverne Lyle, and Harry Clay Neill. She is survived by her sister, Geraldine Hughes of Boswell.
Her grandchildren are Julie Adair Stack and her husband John Stack of Rowland Heights, California, John Wisner of Texas, Alicia Hughes and her husband Jeromy of Enid, Oklahoma, Jackie White and her husband Steve of Colorado City, Texas; Sylvia Walters and her husband Hayden of Westbrook, Texas; Josh Adair of Carlsbad, NM; Lauren Adair of Albuquerque and Ian Adair of Roswell. Great-grandchildren are Schelli, Cheyenne and Hadley White of Colorado City, Hunter Hughes of Enid, Jacob and Colton Walters of Westbrook, and Karson, Suri and Stella Adair of Carlsbad.
She also had one great grandchild, Holden Hughes, who preceded her in death. She is also survived by her beloved daughter-in-law, Kathy Johns, and her husband Les, of Eufaula, Oklahoma.
She also leaves behind many caring nieces and nephews, extended family and friends with whom she was close, especially Maxine Dennis of Hagerman, for whose help, comfort, caring and assistance the family is both indebted as well as grateful.
The family wishes to thank all the staff of Casa Maria of Roswell, as well as Gentiva Hospice in Roswell for all their care and assistance.
In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Adair's family asks that contributions in her name be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, which can be done through the First Baptist Church in Hagerman, or through the International Mission Board at www.imb.org/lottiemoon.
A memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church, 200 N. Cambridge in Hagerman, New Mexico at 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 30, 2015. A graveside service with interment to follow will be held at Restland Cemetery in Boswell, Oklahoma, at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 1, 2015. Pallbearers are Scotty Thompson, Larry Hughes, Jerry Hughes, Jeromy Hughes, Hunter Hughes, and Les Johns.

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