Ruth Arline Guilinger

Ruth Arline Guilinger, age 91, of Savanna, IL passed away on May 13, 2023 at Midwest Hospital, in Galena, IL. A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held at 3:00 p.m., Friday, May 19, 2023 at the Palisades Golf Course clubhouse, north of Savanna. Family and friends are invited to share in Ruth’s life at lawjonesfuneralhome.com.

Ruth was born May 28, 1931 in Kirkwood, IL, the daughter of Earl and Bertha (Biddenstadt) Dye. She attended Harriet Tubman Elementary School, a one room school house, then later graduated from Kirkwood High School with the class of 1949. Ruth was such a good student that she was Valedictorian of her class…her class of 2 students! On December 17, 1952 Ruth married Leslie J. Guilinger, in Kirkwood.

Within a week of graduating, Ruth went to work for Monmouth Trust and Savings Bank. She worked there for more than 30 years, starting as a teller, and working her way up to Chief Financial Officer. After retirement, with her husband already retired from his career in education, she and Les moved to Casa Grande, AZ. In 2007, they decided to move back to Illinois, settling in Savanna, just in time for the arrival of their first great grandchild.

In her free time Ruth loved to golf, especially with her dear Les. In fact, their first date was a round of golf with one-another. Story has it, that while Ruth was attending a softball game in fall, 1942, Les noticed her and declared, “that’s the girl I’m going to marry.” Their golf date followed shortly thereafter, and they tied the knot a few months later. They celebrated 63 years together before Les’ passing in 2015.

Ruth was a lifetime member of the Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star. She also served as Chapter CE for PEO, and was a proud member of the International Turtle Society. She enjoyed jazz and big band music, fishing, gardening, and baking. And in her later years, if she could do any of those activities with her little great-grandchildren, by her side, they were made all the more special!

Ruth will be dearly missed by her two children, Lea Ann (Tom) Michels, of Savanna and Bill (Julie) Guilinger, of Chandler, AZ; eight grandchildren, Joe (Bituin) Michels, of Savanna, Michael Guilinger, of Chandler, Abigail (Shay) Bradbury, of Elizabeth, IL, Matthew Guilinger, of Chandler, T.C. (Tara) Michels, of Peoria, IL, Heather Allen, of Seattle, WA, Casey Allen, of Arizona, and Tai Fairington, of Arizona; seven great-grandchildren, Brook, Hayden, Aidan, Heather, Thomas, Pearl, and Caroline; brothers, Ivan (Vanesse) Dye, of Belvidere, IL and Cleo (Karen) Dye, of Monmouth, IL; and many nieces and nephews.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Bertha; husband, Les; siblings, May, LaVerne, Dorothy, Maxine, and Larry; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Leslie and Mildred Guilinger.