Obituary: Ruthmary Whitlock

Ruthmary Whitlock, age 90, passed away Sunday, April 12, 2015 in Van Nuys, California. Born Ruthmary Plake in Tilton, Illinois, she grew up in Pontiac, Michigan. In 1941, she married "Tommy" Whitlock, an auto mechanic who operated a gas station/garage in Pontiac. About a year later, they moved to Harrisburg, close to his parents and many siblings, and Tommy again ran a gas station and garage. They had two sons in 1944 and 1945 and the family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1950. Ruthmary was not only a beloved wife, caring mother, and home-maker but also a truly legendary cook and baker, working at a number of well-known restaurants. After Tommy died in 1974, she moved back to the Pontiac area. In 1982, to escape the cold climate, she moved to Sherman Oaks, California to live with her son Bill for 11 years, then next door to her sister Nina in Oldsmar, Florida for six years, then back to the Pontiac area for six years. Due to health issues, in 2006 she moved back to California to live with son Bill. Alzheimer's forced her to enter a nearby convalescent hospital in 2011, where she spent her last four years. Ruthmary is survived by her brother Manford Dean of Luzerne, Michigan and two sons William Edward of Oxnard, California, and Robert Alan of St. Petersburg, Florida. Her remains will rest next to Tommy's at Memorial Park Cemetery, St. Petersburg, Florida. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. in the Chapel on Saturday, June 20.