Ruth Norton

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Ruth Marie Norton, 77, of Poplar Bluff died Sunday, June 19, 2005, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

She was born Dec. 1, 1927, daughter of Harvey and Nancy Wren DePew. She first married Charles Eugene Rainey in 1945. He died in 1970. She and Ben S. Norton were married in April 1973.

Mrs. Norton was raised at Elvins, Mo. She lived in Advance, Mo., and Aurora, Ill., several years, moving to Poplar Bluff in 1988. She worked in retail sales several years.

Survivors include a son, Harvey (Donna) Rainey of Poplar Bluff; a son-in-law, Glen A. Monehan of Poplar Bluff; five grandchildren, Pam (James) Dennis of Mount Vernon, Mo., Kelly (Lance) Strenful and Charles Rainey of Springfield, Mo., Matthew Monehan of Poplar Bluff, Kara Rainey of Arkadelphia, Ark.; and three great-grandchildren, Tristan and Payton Dennis of Mount Vernon, and Avery Strenful of Springfield.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Nancy Monehan, and a brother, Edward DePew.

Friends may call at White-Sanders Funeral Home in Fisk, Mo., after 6 p.m. today.

The funeral will be at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield.

Memorials may be given to Pancreatic Cancer Research c/o Pancan, 2141 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 7000, El Segundo, Calif., 90245.