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Celebration of Life: July 4, 2021 (Ruth
Ann's birthday) at 2 p.m. at the Atlanta Christian
Church
Obituary
Ruth Ann Hieronymus, 86, of Atlanta,
passed away Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, at Memorial
Medical Center in Springfield with loving family
members by her side.
Ruth Ann was born on July 4, 1934, the sixth of six
children, to Rev. Austin P. and Ada Benjamin in
Charleston, West Virginia. She graduated from
Medaryville (Ind.) High School in 1952 as class
valedictorian. She attended Lincoln Bible Institute
(now Lincoln Christian University) where she met the
love of her life, the Rev. Lynn Hieronymus, from
Atlanta. They married Aug. 16, 1953 in Attica, Ind.
He preceded her in death on Dec. 16, 1989.
Ruth Ann served with Lynn in ministries at Attica
(Ind.) Christian Church, Cicero (Ind.) Christian
Church, and Eminence Christian Church in rural
Atlanta. They were a good team serving the Lord for
36 years together. She always helped in the music
and children’s departments, and loved playing the
piano for services and singing solos, duets, and
trios. She especially liked helping with the
children’s Christmas programs and Vacation Bible
School.
Born on the 4th of July, Ruth Ann was a firecracker
in many ways. She was very patriotic, often decked
out in her favorite colors: red, white and blue. She
told her young son that all the fireworks on the 4th
of July were for her.
Ruth Ann did not know a stranger and was known for
her gift of gab. She once got off the phone after
taking a lengthy call and was asked by Lynn, "Who
was on the phone? She said, “I don’t know. It was a
wrong number.”
That was Ruth Ann. She was the most caring and
loving person you would ever know. She overcame
hardships as an adolescent, and sorrow later in life
to help others through their difficult times.
Ruth Ann was famous for her “Ruth Coins,” which she
gladly gave out by the thousands to anyone she
“caught for doing something good.”
She was affectionately known by many names: Mom,
Grandma, GG, Grandma Hi, Mrs. Hi, Ma Hi, and Redbird
Ruth. She was called by all a friend.
She loved the St. Louis Cardinals, sending updates
to her son daily throughout the baseball season.
Redbird Ruth shined at Busch Stadium this season, in
the midst of the pandemic, with a life-size cutout
of her featured in the stands.
After Lynn passed away, Ruth Ann (Ma Hi) took over
his role as "Godfather" of Timothy Hall at Lincoln
Christian College, caring for and befriending the
students who lived there.
Ruth Ann worked at the Atlanta Grade School Library
for 27 years and served as the crossing guard for 30
years.
She worked at the Atlanta Public Library for 24
years, serving as the children’s librarian. She
loved serving as the town and library’s official
greeter and ambassador to its many visitors from all
over the world traveling on Route 66.
Mrs. Hi was named as the 2004 Grand Marshall for the
Atlanta Fall Festival for her years of community
service. She and her dear friend, Betty Jo Phillips,
were famous for their “Sour Notes” duet and sang for
community programs for several years. |
Ruth Ann was the Honorary Chairperson
for the 2012 Relay for Life of Logan County. She was
a three-time cancer survivor and served as a Reach
to Recovery Volunteer and was captain of the
Northern Lites Team for 19 years and was an
inspiration to many.
In 2013, she was honored by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn
as Illinois Volunteer of the Year.
She was honored by Mayor Keith Snyder of Lincoln in
2014 for being a Foster Grandparent at
Washington-Monroe Elementary in the Second Grade for
11 years.
Ruth Ann was a lifetime member of Lincoln Christian
University Alumni and the Abraham Lincoln Hospital
Auxiliary.
She was employed by Community Action Partnership of
Central Illinois. She also served on the Board of
Directors. She had to retire in Dec. 2015 due to her
health.
She moved into the Christian Village in Lincoln,
Ill. in 2016 and continued her phone ministry and
sending cards, encouraging others near and far. She
did not allow the walls of the nursing home to
constrain her outreach.
She loved and cherished her two sons, Kent (Cari) of
Atlanta and Kevin (Kami) of Princeton, Ill., who
survive. She probably talked (bragged) about them
more than she should have.
She also loved and cherished her four grandchildren:
Dr. Staci Hieronymus of Atlanta, Joshua Hieronymus
of Elgin, Brooke Hieronymus of Kettering, Ohio, and
Brynn Hieronymus of Princeton; and her
great-grandchildren: Azul, Jacinth and Magenta Kong
of Atlanta.
She is also survived by her nieces and nephews who
she loved dearly: Joy Huston Rock, Carol Huston
Watts, Joyce Glenn, Marilyn Boardman, Letitia
Benjamin, Tom Clark, Ross Clark, Mark Huston,
Stanley McCarter, David McCarter and Andrew
Benjamin.
She was preceded in death by her husband, her
parents, and five siblings: Esther Huston, Lois
McCarter, Mary Clark, Dr. Paul Benjamin, and Ellen
Virginia Benjamin in infancy.
A private graveside service will be held.
The family is planning a virtual memorial on Sunday,
Dec. 27, 2020.
A celebration of Redbird Ruth’s Life is also being
planned on the 4th of July, 2021, when we pray we
can all get together for her birthday.
Memorials may be directed to the Dr. M. Lynn and
Ruth Ann Hieronymus Memorial Scholarship Fund at
Lincoln Christian University, 100 Campus Drive,
Lincoln, Illinois, 62656.
Final arrangements are entrusted with Quiram-Peasley
Funeral Home of Atlanta.
Click here to send a note of condolence to the
family of Ruth Ann Hieronymus
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