Flora Ruth Elder
formerly of
Lemont Furnace
Flora Ruth Elder, 86, of Powhatan, Va., went to be with her Lord Friday, May 23, 2025. She was born to John Ross and Elizabeth Yauger Stickle March 3, 1939, in Lemont Furnace.
She attended grade school in Hopwood, then graduated from North Union Township High School in Uniontown, Class of 1957. Ruth went on to attend and complete her schooling at Uniontown Hospital School of Nursing in 1960 and she worked all departments of the hospital with most of her years of service in newborn and premature nurseries at both Uniontown and Saint Joseph’s (Reading) hospitals.
Ruth married Claude C. Elder August 19, 1961, and they were married just four days shy of 61 years when he passed August 15, 2022.
Ruth is survived by her children, Claude Ross Elder, David Scott Elder (Linda), and Maria Kathleen Elder Agosto (Javier); eight grandchildren, David, Jessica, Joshua, Austin, Elizabeth, Lindsay, Yariel and Yeremi; and seven great- grandchildren, Thor, Ayla, Olivia, Lily, Atlas, A’Mia and Alayna.
Ruth was a skilled seamstress since she was 5, learning how to needlepoint, crochet, cross-stitch, alter, repair, and custom make clothing from Barbie clothes to wedding dresses. She spent most years caring for her family, being the neighborhood nurse, and teaching Sunday school, vacation Bible school, junior church, organized and led women’s prayer groups, and so much more. She has also organized ladies’ retreats and was on the prayer teams at Beaver Assembly of God & Hope Assembly of God, both in Pennsylvania.
In October 2016, she and her husband moved to Powhatan, to be near family. Ruth then became a member of Passion Community Church, where she faithfully served on the Care Team as a prayer warrior and has sent hundreds of cards over the years to those in the body of Christ needing a word of encouragement.
The family will receive friends from 9 until 11 a.m., the time of services, Saturday, May 31, in the PCC Midlothian Campus, 50 Old Otterdale Road, Midlothian, VA 23113. The family encourages you to wear purple to Ruth’s service, if you would like, as this was her favorite. Interment in West Hampton Memorial Park immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Passion Community Church.