Obituary of Mary Ruth Getz

Mrs. Mary Ruth (Clardy) Getz, 88, passed away June 18, 2021 at Norwood Life Care Nursing Home, Chicago, Illinois. Mary Ruth was born March 30, 1933 in Carrollton, Illinois, a daughter of James B. and Ruby Royal Clardy. She married Lowell L. Getz July 5, 1953. He survives. Arrangements were handled by the Davis-Anderson Funeral Home in Carlinville, Illinois. Private Graveside services and burial will be held, June 23 at the Chesterfield Cemetery, Chesterfield, Illinois. Mary Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers: James B. Clardy, Jr., Hugh R. Clardy, Edward L. Clardy and three sisters, Virginia A. Joseph, Kathlyn E. Gerdes, and Norma C. Kvitauskas. In addition to her husband, she is survived her two daughters, Colleen Marie Getz of Arlington, Virginia and Allison Lynn Getz (Partner, Larry Williams) of Skokie, Illinois and grandson, William Ilyia Getz, of Skokie, and numerous nieces and nephews. Mary Ruth was a 1951 graduate of Carlinville, Illinois High School. She attended Blackburn College from 1951-1953 and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1971. Mary Ruth worked for Post Engineers, Fort Devens, Massachusetts from 1954-1955 and the Department of Political Science at the University of Michigan from 1955-1957; she was Departmental Secretary from 1956-1957. Mary Ruth was a secretary in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Illinois from 1971-1999. In recognition of her unstinting assistance to them, the student Horticulture Club dedicated the annual Mom’s Weekend Flower and Garden Show to her the year she retired. Mary Ruth was a member of the Alliance Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. One of her proudest moments in life came when her high school classmates voted her the DAR’s Good Citizenship Award. Mary Ruth was an accomplished pianist who studied the piano throughout her life. Possessing limitless intellectual curiosity, Mary Ruth loved reading serious non-fiction and always enthusiastically pursued new cultural activities and travel. She also loved ballroom dancing; she and her husband were long-time members of several ballroom dance groups. She loved flowers and took great pleasure in her backyard garden and in watching the birds and squirrels that visited its many feeders. Above all, she was devoted to her family and was unfailingly kind and generous to her husband and children, her grandson, her sisters and her many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Norwood Life Care Foundation (Jennifer Sigmond, 773-577-5308) Please visit www.davisandersonfuneralhome.com Davis-Anderson Funeral Home, Carlinville is in charge of arrangements.