Ruthelle Wiggins

Ruthelle Gray Wiggins

Ruthelle was born on November 24, 1915 in Ft. Stockton, Texas to Edward Buel and Evah Conner Gray, who have preceded her in death, as well as a brother, Earl Gray and sister, Sue Keevert.

She graduated from high school in Menard, Texas and moved to Abilene, Texas to attend Abilene Christian College. She worked as secretary to the Dean of the university and met her husband-to-be, Bill Wiggins. Bill and Ruthelle married in 1940 in Carrizo Springs, Texas before moving to their ranch north of Roswell where they lived until their first child, Sandra, started to school in 1947.

Ruthelle was an extraordinary mother, grandmother, and homemaker. She was a volunteer and leader for Girls Scouts, PTA, Roswell Museum and Art Center; an honorary member of the Easel Club; first dietitian of the Hospital Auxiliary ant ENMC. She worked at the Alley Book Stall in the 1950s. In the 1960s she was secretary to the County Commissioner for several years, then worked as Municipal Court Clerk until she retired in 1977. She was a lifetime member of the South Main Church of Christ where she devoted much of her time and a 25 year span teaching the Ladies Bible Class. Her Church and her Family were her main focus.

Ruthelles cooking and entertaining skills were legendary among her family and friends. She was famous for her Fudge and her Fours every year during the Christmas holidays. Some were even sent as far away as Istanbul to a family friend, and hundreds of her sandtart cookies were consumed north of the 49th parallel in Canada. She made about half a million cookies during her lifetime, sending them to friends, children and grandchildren who were far away. She made hundreds of baby blankets over the years for the new babies in her Church family. She made all her daughters clothes for the first few years of their lives, and continued to create beautiful garments for her family until her eyes grew too weak to thread the needles.

She is survived by her husband Bill Wiggins, her three loving daughters, Sandra Wiggins, Kathleen Sheffeld her husband Bill Sheffeld, and Elaine Howe her husband Tom Howe; her grandchildren Jeffrey Bracey his wife Heather, Jeremy Howe his wife Lori, Miranda Howe, Logan Howe his wife Kim. She is also survived by her sister Leatrice Nixon and family, her brother Leonard Gray and family, and her brother Glenn Gray and family, her niece Karen Kielman and family; her niece Peggy Brinkman and family, her sister-in-law Roynel Wiggins, and her nephews Kim Wiggins his wife Maria and Walton Wiggins his wife Vicky and niece Lisa Lester and their families. There are many, many others: dearly loved cousins from both sides of the family, and uncounted numbers who claim membership in Ruthelles family, by virtue of her unconditionally applied love.

She will be an integral part of all these lives for as long as any of us are alive.
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Visitation

Ballard Funeral Home
910 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Sunday, January 4, 2009
2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

Service

Funeral Service

Ballard Funeral Chapel
910 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203
Saturday, January 5, 2008
1:00 p.m.

Cemetery

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203