Ruth Marion Read Calhoun
Had Ruth Marion Read Calhoun penned her own obituary, it would be far more eloquent. Ruth was born Dec. 30, 1925, in Tallulah, LA, to Erle and Ruth Lane Read. She deeply credited her mother for providing her and her brother with a childhood rich in art, music, classic literature, and the joys of adventurous cooking. Attending Louisiana Tech, first for an art degree and later for a Master’s in English, she taught both subjects in parish schools and at Tech.
Ruth and her husband, John designed and built a one of a kind home after visiting one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s. In it she stirred up granola, sprouted edible seeds, baked bread, and made yogurt long before any of those disciplines were fashionable. For 72 years, Ruth designed a family Christmas card. These began first as linoleum block carvings, inked and printed by hand one at a time and evolved, with technology and time, into computer-generated ones. Using a variety of media, Ruth created art with brushes, pencils and fabric, but also with words. Just last year her lifelong collection of poems was published as “Linear Perspective: Collected Poems.”
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, John Davis Calhoun, in 2000 and daughter, Caroline Ruth Calhoun, in 1960.
She is survived by: John Read Calhoun of Windsor, Canada, Julia Calhoun Harris and husband, Jim of Raleigh, NC, Andrew Dawson Calhoun and wife, Suzanne of Baton Rouge, LA; grandchildren: Caroline Lane Harris, Emily Jordan Harris, Andrew Dawson Calhoun, Jr. and Alice Lane Read Calhoun. The family especially wishes to thank Ashley Smith and Kitty Bradford who have been her companions and caregivers for these last five years. Much love also to dear friend, Joan Gordon with whom Ruth lead Wounded Healers Support Group at Trinity United Methodist Church for many years.
Visitation will be held from 12:30 - 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at Trinity United Methodist Church, with the funeral to follow at 2 p.m. in the main sanctuary.
In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made to the music ministry at Trinity United Methodist Church where she had great joy and community for over 70 years, or the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home.
To leave an online memorial message please visit www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com.
