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Ella Ruth Tharp
ELLA RUTH THARP
Cedar Rapids
Ella Ruth Tharp, 86, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, formerly of Urbana, Iowa, passed away after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer's on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018, at Crestview Acres, Marion, Iowa. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 5, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Center Point, Iowa. A private family burial will be held at Urbana Memorial Cemetery, Urbana.
Ella was born Jan. 13, 1932, in Stephens City, Ga., the daughter of Bud and Lillian (Haddock) Smith. Ella married Ronald E. Tharp Sr. in Cedar Rapids on Oct. 20, 1951. She was a test technician at Collins Radio for 28 years. Ella was a member of the Legion Auxiliary and Lions Club. She enjoyed reading and tending to her flower gardens, and she dearly loved her cat, Precious.
Survivors include her children, Rosemary (Dennis) Taylor of Kenosha, Wis., and Ruby (Joe) Brown of Toddville, Iowa; daughter-in-law, Lory Tharp of Walker, Iowa; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and 12 stepgreat-grandchildren.
Ella was preceded in death by her parents; husband in 2004; sons, Ronald E. Tharp Jr. and Richard Tharp; four sisters; and five brothers.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association.
Please share a memory Ella at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
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