Ruth Alice Scott

KALISPELL ~ Ruth Alice Scott, 98, died September 19, 2023 at home in Kalispell.  She was born on February 13, 1925 to Pearl and Clark Mellinger in North Lima, Ohio. She graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Youngstown with high honors. Growing up she became an accomplished pianist and vocalist. She began studying organ as a young adult and played into her 90^th decade at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Bigfork. Her older brother Paul Mellinger taught Ruth to be a ham radio operator (N7FMW) when she was in elementary school. She made weekly QSO with him and people around the world. Her tower on Livingston Ave., Missoula came down when Ruth moved to Bigfork in 2014.

January 1, 1945 Ruth married The Rev. Claude C. Boydston, Jr. in Youngstown, Ohio and began her pilgrimage as a pastor’s wife. They served in Salt Lake City; Post Falls, Idaho; Brooklyn, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Billings, Montana; Patterson and Newark, New Jersey followed by moves to Mesa, and Phoenix, Arizona; and San Luis Obispo, California. The last call was to the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit in Missoula in 1964. Ruth was finally “home” in Montana bringing with her four children: Ruth Louise, Thomas, Mark and Andrew.  Claude died January 2, 1973. She married Dr. Donald Scott of Missoula October 3, 1992 who died April 19, 2004. Both husbands nurtured her sense of adventure and pioneer spirit.

Ruth earned her BA in Education from the University of Montana in 1969 and her MA in Education from the University of Montana in 1976. A zealous Griz fan always!  She became a librarian and media specialist for the Missoula Public Schools, retiring from CS Porter in Missoula. She was a member of Holy Spirit Choir and Altar Guild, a lector and Eucharistic Minister, a member of the American Guild of Organists, and for 25 yrs. a volunteer archivist at the University of Montana Library.

Ruth was a gifted painter, quilter, knitter, seamstress, scrapbooker, gardener, baker, Bible student and family historian. She loved cross country skiing, bicycling and the outdoors. Summers were spent as a child on her Uncle Will and Aunt Alice’s farm in Ohio where she learned to milk cows, churn butter, tend chickens, drive, garden and can produce.

Beloved by her family, Ruth excelled as a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother. She practiced a life of daily prayer and dependency on the grace of God through Jesus Christ.  She lived out her Christian vocation as a servant to many, always giving generously to those in need. Growing up during the Depression and between two World Wars gave her opportunities to learn new skills and find strength. She overcame struggles with faith and determination to her very last breath of life on earth. 

Survivors include her daughter the Rev. Ruth Louise Baker and her son-in-law James Baker of Lake Mary Ronan, Montana; daughters-in-law Linda Boydston, Meridian, Idaho and Patricia Boydston, Sammamish, Washington; a nephew Barrie Mellinger, Huber Heights Ohio; a niece A’Lisa Scott, Missoula; 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren residing in Florida, Idaho, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington.

A Requiem Eucharist will be celebrated on October 14 at 2 PM at Church of the Holy Spirit, 130 South Sixth Street E, Missoula, MT 59801.  The Rev. R. Louise Baker and the Venerable Dorcie Dvarkis will be officiating.