WHITTEN, Ida Ruth

West Valley View, Avondale, Arizona January 06, 2012 Ida Ruth Whitten, 72, of Goodyear died Dec. 31, 2011, in Goodyear. Mrs. Whitten was born April 25, 1939, in Gadsden, Ala., to Clarence and Alice Bowden. She grew up in Gadsden, and moved to Arizona eight years ago after retiring from 20 years in the Civil Service supervising personnel security for the United States government. She was a member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Goodyear. She is survived by her husband, Melvin; two daughters, Christine Eppard and Cathy Sanchez; two sons, Glenn and Greg Shook; one stepson, Dick; one sister, Virginia; two brothers, Willard and Lee Emory; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services were held Wednesday. The Rev. Thomas Schulz officiated. Funeral arrangements were made by Thompson's Valley West Funeral Chapel. ~~~~~~~~~~ Thompson's Valley West Funeral Home, Goodyear, Arizona Ida Ruth Whitten, 72, of Goodyear, AZ died December 31, 2011 in Goodyear. She was born April 25, 1939 in Gadsden, AL to Clarence and Alice Bowden. She grew up in Gadsden. She moved to Arizona 8 years ago after retiring from 20 years in the civil service, supervising personnel security for the United States Government. She was a member of St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Goodyear. Ruth is survived by her husband Melvin Whitten, her daughters Christine Eppard and Cathy Sanchez, her sons Glenn and Greg Shook, her step-son Dick Whitten, her sister Virginia, hr brothers Willard and Lee Emory, her grandchildren Evan and Daniel Sanchez, Brock Sumpter, and Glenn and Dustin Shook, and 4 great-great grandchildren. Visitation for Ruth takes place Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at 10:00am at Thompson’s Valley West Funeral Chapel, 926 S. Litchfield Rd., Goodyear, AZ. The service, officiated by Pastor Thomas Schulz of St. Thomas Lutheran Church, begins at 11:00am at Thompson’s Funeral Chapel, and burial will follow at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, AZ.