Ruth Rawlins Brown Adrus
Ruth was born on April 13, 1910, in Lehi, Utah, to Elisha Brown and Lilly Permelia Rawlins. There were seven children, brothers: Jerome, Athon, Douglas, Nile; sisters: Virginia and Martha. The family moved to Austin, Utah, in 1911, to Payson, Utah, in 1913, and to Draper, Utah, in 1925.
Ruth attended Peteetneet Elementary School and ninth grade in Payson, Draper Park School in Draper, and graduated from Jordan High School.
She was blessed with thick, naturally curly hair, and in her youth she wore it in long braids that she could sit on. In her later years, it turned a beautiful silver and she wore it cut short and waved around her head. Her hair was one of her outstanding features.
Ruth's father served as a bishop in Payson. Her mother, as a counselor in the stake Relief Society, would travel all over the stake to Spring Lake, Genola, Palmyra, Spanish Fork, Mapleton, and little towns in between. They would hitch up the old red horse and buggy and would be gone all day or several days. They made the clothing and prepared the dead for burial whenever someone died.
In October of 1925, Ruth's father passed away and the family moved to Draper to be close to relatives.
Ruth and Ben Andrus started dating during their high school days. They loved to go dancing and enjoyed many evenings dancing with their friends. They also loved to hunt and fish. Their family and friends have many pleasant memories of these special times spent together.
Ruth married Benjamin Wendall Andrus on September 28, 1927, and in October 1929 they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived in a small home in east Draper that belonged to Mildred Hendrickson. In 1938 they bought the Ellsworth Allen home at 926 East 12650 South in Draper. They were blessed with five sons; Merlin Darnell, La Ray Brown, Larry Brown, Paul B. and Robert B. They have 24 grandchildren and 58 greatgrandchildren.
Ruth enjoyed sports and was an especially good ballplayer herself. She was an ardent supporter of all the games that her husband and boys participated in. One of her favorite hobbies was growing exotic orchids. Her home was always filled with beautiful flowering plants.
Ruth candled eggs at the Draper Egg Plant for many years. She also worked on the assembly line at Deseret Pharmaceutical and made burial and temple clothing at Beehive Clothing Mill.
Church service included being a Primary teacher for many years and she was a Primary stake board member. Ruth was drama director in the Draper First Ward and directed many plays. She was Relief Society president for nine years, serving under Bishop Harold O. Smith, Bishop Grant Witt, and Bishop Bert Howell. She was a faithful visiting teacher throughout her life.
Ruth was an excellent cook and, when her son, Larry, became an expert chef, they ran a small catering business together for several years, catering ward parties, weddings, reunions, etc.
Ben passed away in 1969, and a year later Ruth served as a full-time missionary in the Florida Mission, which included all of the state of Florida and part of Georgia. She also served three months in the Vancouver, British Columbia Mission home as a cook for the mission president's family and the missionaries. She taught Relief Society in South Jordan, and also taught a genealogy class. She did extensive research and was able to compile many family group sheets and pedigree charts. She served for eight years in the Salt Lake Temple as an ordinance worker.
In November, 1972, Ruth married Byron C. Peacock, and moved to his home in South Jordan. He was the stake patriarch and Ruth served as scribe for the blessings he gave. He passed away five years later. Ruth cared for him during the last two years as he struggled with cancer. Ruth remained living in the home in South Jordan.
Ruth married Ralph Griner in November, 1981. Ralph and his wife had been good friends to Ruth when she was a missionary in Georgia. After Ruth returned from the mission field, Ralph and his wife drove to Utah and were married in the Salt Lake Temple. Ruth was able to accompany them when they were married. After his wife passed away, Ralph and Ruth renewed their friendship and were later married. They lived in the home in South Jordan and made many extended trips to his home in Georgia. They remained in South Jordan until Ruth's death on April 4, 1988. She is buried in the Draper City Cemetery.
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Draper Historical Society. The History of Draper, Utah, Volume One: People of Draper 1849-1924. (Salt Lake City, UT: Agreka History Publishing, 1999), pp. 43-45, Draper Library.