Ruth Blanchard McMurdie

Ruth Blanchard McMurdie died peacefully on October 8, 2023, at the age of eighty-three surrounded by family in Smithfield, UT. A quick look at her birthplace, college studies, marriage, and death place might lead one to believe that Ruth was a local girl who never traveled far from home. The truth of Ruth’s life is vastly different.

Ruth was born and grew up in the Cache Valley, Utah area. Born the last child of Christina and Lidell Blanchard Sr., She lived with her family in Smithfield under the shadow of her beloved Flat Top Mountain. Ruth adored her surviving older brothers and sister: Thomas Lidell Jr., Carol, and Wayne. All of them were preceded in death by a brother, Willard, and a sister, Emma Marie. They were an extremely close family who enjoyed spending time together whenever they could.

Ruth attended the local schools and excelled in both academics and athletics. She participated in 4H and won many blue ribbons at the Cache County Fair. Ruth also excelled with her Bernina sewing machine as a seamstress who made all her own clothes growing up and later the clothes of her family for many years to come. She graduated from North Cache High School where she was a fierce proponent of her School. During the summers, Ruth had worked at Yellowstone National Park doing various jobs, making friends, and celebrating the outdoors. She attended and graduated from the seminary program. After graduation, Ruth initially lived at home and commuted every day in a car her dad bought her to attend Utah State University. During her senior year she lived in the Home Management House of USU and reveled in the friends and opportunities she found there. Ruth received both a Bachelor of Science and teaching certificate at the completion of her college work from Utah State University and graduated from LDS Institute.

Ruth married Dennis S. McMurdie in the Logan Temple in December of 1962 after a three-year courtship that was (more often than not) by mail while Dennis was serving his mission for the church. Ruth continued to teach full time until her first child was born. At that point she dedicated her life to her family and serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Over the course of their married life together, Dennis and Ruth lived in Nephi and Salt Lake City, in California in Saugus, Costa Mesa, and Santa Rosa, in Texas in both Ft. Worth and Austin, and finally back to Utah to West Valley City.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Dennis in September of 2013 after a prolonged illness. After the passing of her husband, Ruth returned to her Cache Valley roots and moved initially to Logan and eventually back to Smithfield, UT. Along the way, Ruth added crocheting, knitting, upholstery, embroidery, candy making, home canning, blackberry picking, and an unmatched good luck streak in BINGO to her life’s resume.

Throughout her life, Ruth was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She served in many leadership positions in the Church including multiple assignments as Relief Society President. She enjoyed serving her fellow Saints. Everywhere that Ruth lived, she made an impact in the lives of her friends, fellow church members, and the community as whole.

Ruth was a teacher in public secondary education, a long serving election judge in Texas and Utah, a teacher at a private school, and even a specialty pattern cutter at Beehive Clothing in addition to her role as a full-time homemaker. By her own admission, Ruth’s greatest accomplishment and joy was being a full-time mother to her four children: Neil, Christy, Celeste, and Russell, who all survive her in death. At the time of her death, Ruth also rejoiced in her fourteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren that were spread across the United States. Family ties and faith in the principle that families are forever were at the center of Ruth’s daily life. She lived to hear the latest news from the family and all the grandkids. Sunday night was phone call night, and it was her favorite day of the week. As the central hub for information, Ruth was able to keep the far-flung family in touch with each other.

In her final years, Ruth was a resident at the Birch Creek Assisted Living facility in Smithfield, where she was known and loved for her cheerful outlook and kindness toward staff and fellow residents. From her living room recliner, she could see pictures of her family as well as the distinctive shape of Flat Top Mountain that she loved so much. Some of her adventures at Birch Creek found their way onto the KSL 5 TV news broadcast and the local newspapers. On any given day at Birch Creek, if you asked Ruth how many kids she had, the tally was upped to five. She adored all the staff, but Chris Sorensen and his kids became her “adopted” son and grandchildren too. Ruth will be dearly missed by all that knew her. Her smile was infectious, her steadiness in times of adversity exemplary, and her ability to love unbounded.

Funeral services will be held in Logan, UT at Allen-Hall Mortuary on Saturday, October 14th , 2023. A Viewing will be held from 9:00 AM– 10:30 AM. The funeral will begin at 11:00 AM and will be livestreamed. Interment will be at Wellsville City Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.allenmortuaries.com

The funeral will be livestreamed and can be accessed by the following link:

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE LIVESTREAM LINK (password: Ruth)