Ruth Fonar Warheit
On her 94th birthday in August, Ruth Fonar Warheit was amazed that she lived that long. On November 26, 2020, she gently slipped into her eternal home surrounded by family while listening to the hymn, “Just As I Am”.
Ruth was the daughter of Nick and Leona Fonar and wife of William A. Warheit who preceded her in death in 2002 after 52 years of marriage. Her only sister, Julia (Russell) Koons also preceded her in death. She was mother/mother-in-law to Matt (Kay) Warheit and Janine (Mike Voulgaris) Warheit, Aunt and Great-Aunt Ruth to 14 nieces and nephews and their families, Grandma to Kris (Heather) Warheit and Geoff (Lisa) Warheit and Great-Grandma “Roof” to Taylor, Deagan, Kameron, Quinn, Kennedy, and Kinsley. Ruth hugged her family often.
She was proud of her Slovak Heritage and cherished her family’s deep roots as founding members of the Church of God in Butler, now know as North Main Street Church of God. When guest pastors or missionaries came to Butler, Ruth or “Grandma” to many, would be asked to babysit their young children, often overfeeding them or entertaining them with musical instruments or toys that she always had ready.
Ruth believed in education and especially in early childhood education. She was an observer of babies and believed that they know a lot more than they let on. Ruth served as Sunday School superintendent as well as on the Christian Board of Education in her beloved church. She was supportive in many ways when the Church of God started a preschool and elementary school which later became Penn Christian Academy. Ruth cried many tears over stories of child abuse; it was something she could never wrap her mind around because she loved all children.
Ruth valued her home and her country, even voting in the 2020 elections. She read her Bible every morning as well as books about the Amish because she believed that the whole world would be better if we lived as the Amish live. She kept a clean home with a variety of cleaning tools including bottles of Amish cleaners and white vinegar. However, she never minded children’s fingerprints on her windows. In the community, she and Bill had delivered meals for Butler Meals-on-Wheels.
Ruth loved watching the Pittsburgh professional sports: baseball, football, and hockey, and knew the players’ names. She and Bill were 30-year, Butler High School football season ticketholders, beginning in the 60’s when their son, Matt played football. As grandparents, they never missed a Knoch basketball game when their grandson, Kris played. However, Ruth did struggle to enjoy her grandson, Geoff’s dirt bike racing, frequently suggesting bowling as a safer sport. She also kept up with her daughter, Janine’s water skiing and horseback riding competitions.
Ruth shared life with her dear friends, Ruthie, Margie, and Shirley who survive her. She believed, “It takes work to be a friend”; she loved her faithful friends as well as those who passed on before her. She also believed that her Timberly Heights neighbors were the best and that is because they were the best neighbors who kept an eye out for her in her later years whether they snowplowed her driveway or called her son if they had not seen her outside for a few days.
Ruth had a few fears: swimming, biking, or flying; she feared that if she flew, the plane would crash… until her older grandson became a pilot then she said that she wouldn’t fly because she didn’t want to cause a problem if she had a stroke while in flight. She had a healthy fear of sinning and when asked by a nurse during a check-up if she smoked, she said, “I did one time and I didn’t like it.” But her world was not small; she generously supported through prayers or finances various world missions, Christian radio stations/programs as well as a number of medical research programs.
Ruth lived her last year at New Haven Court, where she was loved by the New Haven staff and was given warm, profession care by her VNA Hospice Nurse, Lori. She talked to her family daily on the phone and was kept entertained with endless calls, photos, and encouraging cards from family, friends, and her church family.
Until March, Ruth never missed our family Sunday night dinners…she has left a very visible empty chair at our table. Her family will gather privately to thank God that we will see her again in Eternity. In order to share her memory, we suggest that you: hug a child, find out how Jesus makes a life worth living, bowl safely, or make a pie. Ruth was known for her amazing pie crusts and pies:
Ruth Warheit’s pie crust recipe for 2 single or 1 double pie crust.
Mix: 2 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon of salt
Add in: 1/2 cup of Canola Oil
4-5 Tablespoons water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Roll between waxed paper.
Thompson-Miller Funeral Home, Inc. is assisting the family with their arrangements.
Online condolences may be made at www.thompson-miller.com.