Ruth Michaud

RUTH MICHAUD

Mount Vernon

Ruth Marie Michaud died Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, at Mercy Iowa City. She was 74 years of age.

Ruth was born in Downing, Mo., on Feb. 8, 1940. She was preceded in death by her parents, Emma and Harry Lewis; and by her older sister, Mary Ann.

Ruth's family moved to Iowa where she attended elementary and grade school in Rutland; high school in Fort Dodge; Fort Dodge Community College; and the University of Iowa, from which she earned a bachelor's degree in English literature and teaching, and a master's degree in English literature.

Ruth was a high school English teacher for 30 years, most of them at Mount Vernon High School in Iowa, and five years at New Prairie High School in Indiana. She was also an assistant librarian for three years at the South Bend Library in South Bend, Ind.

Ruth leaves behind her husband of 50 years of marriage, Norman, 81; a son, Nathaniel, 44; his wife, Caroll and their son, Ruth's much-loved grandson, Alexander, 7 years of age.

She also leaves behind a sister, Martha; her husband, Guy Rosenberg; a brother, David Lewis; his wife, Judy; a sister, Rachel; her husband, Orlando Nicholson; and a brother, John.

Ruth loved reading, writing, corresponding, teaching, gardening, caring for birds and most especially the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Four of the many lines of Dickinson she loved deeply commemorate her loss to those of us who loved Ruth fully:

I MEASURE every

Grief I meet

With narrow,

probing, Eyes,

I wonder if It weighs

like Mine,

Or has an Easier size.

As were her wishes, she will be cremated. A private family memorial service will be held at the Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.iowacremation.com under Obituaries.

Memorials may be directed in her name to any of the following: Planned Parenthood; Inner City Scholarship Fund, 1011 First Ave., Suite 1400, New York, NY 10022; or Catholic Charities.