Ruth D. Wagner

          Ruth (Daum) Wagner passed away on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at UPMC Hamot in Erie.  She was 100 years old. 

          Ruth was born February 23, 1921 in Wolfs Corners, Clarion County.  She was the daughter of the late Warren and Gladys (Mong) Daum.

          She attended Central Avenue Elementary School when her family moved to Oil City and continued in the Oil City schools through 10th grade.  She completed 11th and 12th grades and graduated from Farmington High School after the family returned to Wolfs Corners. 

          After high school, Ruth was an accountant for Pennzoil.  In 1946, she was hired as the bookkeeper for Venus and Oil City Motors, until she retired in 1980.

          Ruth's faith was always an important part of her life.  She served as the president and treasurer of the Good Hope Lutheran Church Women's Organization and was also the church treasurer for nine years.  Ruth was a deacon and a Sunday School teacher and took part in many other aspects of church life.  More important than using her skills in needed roles, she lived her faith every day and was a living testament to God's grace and peace. 

          During her century of life, she lived post-war and post-pandemic as a child, and saw the Great Depression and World War II rationing.  She saw electricity and phone service reach into individual homes, followed by computers and cell phones.  So many advances in technology and medicine, only to see the last part of her 100 years with unrest and another pandemic. 

          Ruth married Walter Wagner in 1952.  They had two daughters, Marilyn Betzold and her husband Bob of Cranberry, and Nancy Davis of Lake Elmore, Vermont.  She enjoyed her seven grandchildren: Trenton Moulin and his wife Bre, Michael Moulin, Bethany Campagna and her husband Chris, Jenna Decker and her husband John, Hanna Davis, Jesse Davis, and Nikolai Davis.  She is also survived by nine great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.  Ruth enjoyed living with Marilyn and Bob for the past six years in Cranberry. 

          In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, Allen "Bud" Daum. 

          Visitation will be held Friday (Nov. 5) from 3 - 5 p.m. in Hile-Best Funeral Home, 2781 Rte. 257 in Seneca.  Additional visitation will be held Saturday (Nov. 6) from 10 - 10:45 a.m. in Good Hope Lutheran Church, 800 Moran Street in Oil City, where a funeral service will follow Saturday at 11 a.m. with Rev. J. Michael Parsh, officiating.  Private interment will follow in Venus Cemetery. 

          Memorial contributions may be made to ELCA World Hunger, P.O. Box 1809, Merrifield, VA 22116; the Salvation Army, 217 Sycamore St., Oil City, PA  16301, or Seneca Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 272, Seneca, PA  16346.

          To express online condolences to Ruth's family, please visit www.hilebest.com

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