RUTH ELLEN FURMAN

Palmer resident Ruth Ellen Furman died Dec. 6, 2005, at the Palmer Pioneers' Home. Her body was donated to Science Care Anatomical for education and scientific research.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, at Lazy Mountain Bible Church.

Mrs. Furman was born June 24, 1924, in Clearfield, Pa. She graduated from Clearfield High School in 1943, from Practical Bible Training School at Binghamton, N.Y., in 1950, and from a missionary nursing course in Dumont, N.J., in 1951.

She moved to Kasilof in 1951, serving in a children's home. During 1953-55, she worked in Espanola Hospital in New Mexico. She married Clarence Furman on Dec. 17, 1954, and returned to Alaska in May 1955.

She served as a missionary with InterAct Ministries in Shagelu (1955-62), Pedro Bay (1965-69), Victory High School (1972-76) and Arctic Bible Institute in Palmer (1975-2004), until 2004, when she and her husband moved to the Palmer Pioneers' Home.

She was active for many years in Lazy Mountain Bible Church and Lazy Mountain Homemakers as historian. She liked to read, crochet and garden.

Her family wrote, &#8220Ruth was known for her hospitality, compassion and strong will. Everyone was welcome at the ‘Furman Hilton.' She loved having her children and grandchildren home. She often had tea with her friends in her special teacups.

&#8220Her children said, ‘Whenever we needed something, Mom had it in her purse.'

&#8220Ruth never knew a stranger. She would talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere about anything.”

Mrs. Furman is survived by her husband of 50 years, Clarence; daughter, Beth Joy Abalama; son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Nina Furman: daughter and son-in-law, Mella Dee and James Homoki Jr.; sisters, Kathryn Gransee and Betty Luzier of Clearfield, Pa., and Joan Stiner of Woodland, Pa.; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.