Ruth E. Giffin

Ruth Cabeen Giffin, 93 of Aledo and Mercer County Historian, died peacefully Sunday, May 3, 2009 at the Mercer County Nursing Home. Funeral Services will be Friday at 1:30 PM at the Sunbeam United Presbyterian Church, rural Aledo. Burial will be in Candor Cemetery. Visitation is Thursday from 5 to 7 PM at Speer Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Mercer County Nursing Home or the Sunbeam United Presbyterian Church. Ruth Ella Cabeen was born on November 24, 1915 to Thomas Elmer & Catherine Ann (Saunders) Cabeen on the family farm in Ohio Grove Township, Mercer County, Illinois. She was a graduate of Aledo High School. She married Everett Lee Giffin on December 6, 1934 in Roseville, Illinois. He preceded her in death on July 20, 1980. Ruth’s vocation was history. She was a devoted curator of the Essley Nobel Museum and was one of the founding board members of the museum, retiring in the early 1990’s. She truly enjoyed giving tours to visiting classes and going out to the schools to educate. Ruth enjoyed geneology and helped many families with research. The history of Mercer County was very special to her, as the Cabeen family settled in this area in 1835. Ruth was a lifelong member of the Sunbeam United Presbyterian Church, of which she was the first woman Elder; a member of the William Dennison Chapter of NSDAR for over 50 years; a former member of the Order of Eastern Star #126, Aledo and was an avid reader. Those left to cherish Ruth’s memory include her children and their spouses: Neil & Virginia Giffin of Prophetstown, Debra & Gary Finch of Aledo and Barbara & Allen Haim of San Rafael, CA; Grandchildren: Tammie & Steve Sandrock, Susan & David Russell, Paul & Shari Giffin, Jeremy & Lisa Finch, Jaime & Rob Kernan, Jill & Jon Escajeda and Tom & Rosalinda Haim; Great-Grandchildren: Scott & Brad Sandrock; Morgan Giffin Russell; Sydney Giffin; Taylor, Tristen, Lauren Ruth & Natalie Finch and Griffen & Trevor Kernan; and a niece and nephew, Richard Cabeen and Kay Kilgariff. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband; brother, Hugh Cabeen; and a brother, James in infancy. The family would like to thank the entire staff at the Mercer County Nursing Home for the care and love shown to Ruth while she was a resident there.