Ruth Elizabeth Smith, 84, of Urbana, passed away at 10:00 AM, Thursday, November 3, 2011, at the Champaign County Nursing Home, Urbana. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM, Saturday, November 12, 2011, at Twin City Bible Church, 806 W. Michigan Ave., Urbana; Pastor Shannon Caughey will officiate. Visitation will be held at the church Friday, November 11, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Entombment will be at Grandview Memorial Gardens, Champaign at 2:15 PM, Saturday, November 12.

Ruth was born July 21, 1927, to Hulda (Fauss) and Charles Sprankel in Waterloo, Illinois. She attended Waterloo Schools and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where she received her bachelor's degree in Mathematics Education in 1949. She belonged to the mathematics honorary fraternity, Delta Rho, and the Kappa Delta Pi education honorary fraternity. She graduated with high honors and received a fellowship to the University of Illinois. At the U of I she received a master's degree in Mathematics Education in 1950. She taught math and science at the Champaign Junior High schools for six years.

On December 24, 1950, she married Paul E. Smith. In 1958 they started an apartment rental business, which is still continuing today.

Activities Ruth enjoyed include Home Extension, Keenagers Kitchen Band, Active Senior Republicans, and the Central Illinois Apartment Association, of which she was a founding member. She was an avid Illini fan! GO ILLINI! She also enjoyed cooking and all kinds of crafts, especially crocheting.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Paul; two daughters, Christine Gunther (Jim), of Mahomet, and Karen Colvill (Jeff), of Columbus, Indiana; three grandchildren, Steve and Jenny Colvill and Jamie Gunther; and her sister, Charlene Sprankel, of Decatur. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Ruth became a Christian in 1944 at a youth camp in Fulton, Missouri. She has been an active member of Twin City Bible Church for many years. She enjoyed Bible study and singing hymns.

Memorial contributions may be made in Ruth's honor to Twin City Bible Church.