Ruth Elsie May Elkins

Ruth Elsie May (Fuhrman) Elkins, 85, entered the Church Triumphant on March 4, 2022. She passed away peacefully at her Anderson home with her children around her.
She was born on November 17, 1936 in Dubois County, IN to Elmer P. and Margaret (Braun) Fuhrman. She graduated from Dubois High School, class of 1954, as the Valedictorian. She received her bachelor’s degree from Indiana State Teachers College in Terre Haute, IN in 1958. While there, Ruth was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority. She received her master’s from Ball State University, and later her Doctorate of Education from Ball State University in 1985 with an emphasis on Gifted and Talented.

Ruth married George R. Elkins (formerly of Linton, IN) on April 26, 1958 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Haysville, IN. They were married for 44 years until his passing in 2002.

Ruth retired from Anderson Community School Corporation in 2002 after almost 40 years. During those years, she taught at Longfellow, Columbia, 10th Street, and Valley Grove. She taught many different things, including, the Gifted and Talented Program, Future Problem Solvers, high school level education, and college level. She was an early adopter of computers for education and went on to receive grants for this program.

She found her spiritual home at St. John’s Lutheran Church and served as a Stephen Minister. Ruth was also a member of the American Association of University Women, Anderson Federation of Teachers, Order of Eastern Star, and the Madison County Shriner Ladies Club. Ruth cooked many family recipes that were handed down to her, and she, in turn, added her own new favorites, which she also handed down to her family. She enjoyed traveling, both domestically and internationally. She was actively involved in her grandchildren’s lives and attended many of their activities. Family was the most important thing to Ruth.

Ruth will be dearly missed by her sister, Luetta (George) Mercier of Bloomington; her sister-in-law, Mary (Ralph) Padgett of Linton, IN; her children, Mark Elkins of Anderson, Kerry (Gina) Elkins of Uniontown, OH, and Cheri Elkins of Schererville, IN; her grandchildren, Joel Elkins of Arlington, VA, Mathew Palm of Zionsville, IN, Willis Elkins of Uniontown, OH, Erik Palm of Schererville, IN, Karsten Palm of Schererville, IN, and Annika Palm of Schererville, IN; and her numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George; her parents-in-law, James and Effie Elkins; her sister, LaVella (Paul) Singer; her brothers, Emil (Ellen) Fuhrman and Luther Fuhrman; her brothers-in-law, Paul (Doris) Elkins, and Charles Wyllis Elkins; and her nephews, Charles W. Elkins, Jr. (Skipper), Roger Fuhrman; and her nephew and godchild, Tim Mercier.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Community Hospice and all the staff, for their exceptional care and support of Ruth.
The visitation will be on Wednesday, March 9, 2022 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. at Brown-Butz-Diedring Funeral Service & Crematory, 515 E. 53rd St., Anderson, 46013. The ceremony of the Order of Eastern Star will be during the Wednesday visitation at 6:30 p.m. at Brown-Butz-Diedring. There will be an additional visitation on Thursday, March 10, 2022 from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 310 E. 53rd St., Anderson, 46013. The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Haysville, IN later Thursday afternoon. Memorial contributions in Ruth’s name may be gifted to St. John’s Lutheran Church.