Ruth D. Walker (nee Satterfield) of St. James, MO, was born on November 5, 1934 in Washington, MO to Russell Satterfield and wife, Zella (nee Cowan), and passed away on Thursday, July 15, 2010 at the age of 75 years.
Ruth graduated from Washington High School. They then moved to Flora, IL, where she met the love her life, Donald Walker.  She married Don Walker on April 4, 1953 and was his wife for 57 years.
One of her greatest accomplishments was going back to college to get a degree in Mortuary Science at the age of 55. She was employed prior to graduation by Beidelman Kunsh Funeral Home in Naperville, IL where she served area families for 14 years.
Ruth became respected in the area of family grief counseling and working with funeral arrangements, culminating in her becoming the first woman president of the Dupage County Funeral Directors Association in Illinois. She was featured in the Naperville Sun as representative of women on the rise in her profession.
Ruth and her husband, Don, rode the corporate trail that took them to six different cities as their careers progressed, with the Naperville stint being the longest at 16 years. During their period in the Washington, D.C. area, Ruth became the Eastern Credit Manager for the 3M Business Products group headquartered in Georgetown.
While in her senior year at Washington High School, Ruth became the 1951 Town and Country Queen, in what is now the third largest fair in Missouri.
Since retiring to St. James, she has been a member of the Beautify St. James Committee, Garden Club, Homemakers Club, Chamber of Commerce, and the LL Chapter of P.E.O., State of Missouri. In earlier years, she was a very active tennis enthusiast and has always been a great lover of Bridge. She has belonged to two Bridge clubs in St. James.
Ruth was always able to create a home for her family wherever they went. Friends always filled her home and remained friends throughout her life.
She had a unique and amazing ability to recall all of the many cousins and distant relatives of the family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Zella Satterfield; mother-in-law, Beulah Greenwood, and father-in-law, Tom Greenwood, of Flora, IL.
She is survived by her husband, Donald; son, Michael (wife, Marlis) of Albuquerque, NM; daughter, Janet Hirsch (husband, Frank) of Rockford, IL; brothers, Ira Satterfield (wife, Bonnie) and Norman, both of St. James, MO; other relatives and friends.
Ruth has lived her life with the firmness of resolve in everything she set out to achieve, but also with compassion for others and a great sense of fairness.
Cremation arrangements were by Eaton Funeral Home, Sullivan, MO.
A memorial/celebration was held on July 31, 2010 at Matt’s Restaurant in Rolla, MO.