Individual Details

Death

Mary Agnes Decker was born November 23, 1854, at Kusterdingen, Wuerttemburg, Germany. She was baptized in her infancy, and having received a proper course of religious instruction, was confirmed at the age of 12 years, and thereby admitted to communicant membership in the Lutheran Church. To this church she remained faithful during the whole of her life. She was a regular attendant at the services as long as she was able to hear, and when that sense failed her, she painfully felt the loss, but applied herself the more diligently to private study of scriptures; gaining an exceptionally thorough and loving knowledge of the Word, and becoming sanctified in heart and life to a degree that comparatively few at attain.
In 1866 her parents left Germany for America, locating about 3 miles north of Edon. Her girlhood from the age of 13 was spent largely as a servant girl, a capacity in which her diligence and faithfulness merited for her the approval of all concerned.
In 1880 the deceased was married to John Ruff. A few years of their married life were spent at Stryker, O., and in Indiana, but for the last 24 years the deceased has resided at Edon. To their union were born 2 sons, none of whom the parents were permitted to see grow up.
She had been ailing for many years. A harassing cough caused her much annoyance and brought on a severe physical weakness that tended to increase her misery of late years. Her lastt and fatal illness was bronchial trouble. For about 5 weeks she lingered, believing that now the time was drawing near when she would be delivered from all earthly woe, calmly and serenely waiting for death to bring her face to face with her Redeemer. On Sunday morning, Dec. 20, she peacefully breathed her last. She reached the age of 60 years and 22 days.
She is survived by her husband, 2 sisters and 2 brothers-in-law, besides other relatives, and a wide circle of friends to whom her affectionate disposition and simple Christian virtues had endeared her.
Funeral services were conducted on Tuesday, December 22, from the Lutheran Church, Rev. A.C. Heuter officiating. Interment in Edon Cemetery.