Ruth Richards

Ruth May Avery Richards was born Aug. 8, 1916, in Weir City, Kan. to George and Sylvia Pryor Avery. She moved with her family to southeastern Colorado at the age of nine, and graduated from Las Animas High School. During World War II, Ruth worked with the Army Corps of Engineers at the Army Air Base in La Junta. She met and married Ellsworth "Elzie" Ray Richards, and lived in La Junta until 1998. Ruth worked with several businesses in La Junta until she started as a reporter for the La Junta Tribune Democrat newspaper where she became City Editor. One highlight of her career was coining the phrase "Spring Forward, Fall Back" used to remind us of clock changes for Daylight Saving Time. The publisher, Mr. Al Burtis, told her to "Put that out, right now, on the AP Wire Service". She received a modest award from Associated Press for that contribution. She left the newspaper to work as purchasing agent for NIBCO Colorado in La Junta, from which she retired. Ruth was active as a Brownie Scout and Cub Scout leader, and was a past president of the Business and Professional Women's Club in La Junta. She was an active member of the United Methodist Church of La Junta, and was a member of the choir there for several years. After retirement Ruth was a hospital volunteer at the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center. In 1998, she moved to Fort Collins, to live with her son, Jon. They attended Christ United Methodist Church in Fort Collins, where Ruth was active in the Seekers group. Ruth passed away Monday, June 23, 2008. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, George, Plierre, and Kenneth Avery; her sister, Grace Connor; and her beloved husband, Elzie. She is survived by her sister, Mary Jane Carl Frantz; stepdaughter, Vivian Ken Sabisch; and daughter, Jill Salley, all of Albuquerque, N.M.; and son, Jon Richards of Fort Collins. Ruth is also survived by her grandson, Kevin Salley; and great-grandson, Christian Salley of Franklin, Conn.; grandson, Keith Salley; and great-granddaughter, Laura Salley of Winchester, Va.; grandson, Eric Sabisch; and great-granddaughters, Drew and Emily Sabisch of Olympia, Wash.; and grandson, Michael Sabisch; and great-grandsons, Aaron and Kenneth Sabisch of Austin, Texas. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday at Christ United Methodist Church, 301 E. Drake Road, in Fort Collins. Friends may send condolences to the family at bohlenderfuneralchapel.com.