Mary Ruth Fortino

Ruth Fortino, 82, of Zephyrhills, FL and formerly of Mt. Pleasant, passed away Monday, Jan. 12, 2009 at Zephyrhills Health and Rehabilitation Center. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Mt. Pleasant with Father Loren Kalinowski presiding. The family will receive friends on Friday, Jan. 30, from 2-8 p.m. at the Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, 2300 S. Lincoln Rd., Mt. Pleasant. The Vigil service will begin at 7 p.m. Visitation continues at the church on Saturday one hour prior to the Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Zephyrhills Health and Rehab Nursing Fund, 7350 Dairy Rd., Zephyrhills, FL 33541, Hernado-Pasco Hospice, East Pasco Team, 37445 Clinton Ave., Dade City, FL 33521 or to the family to use at their discretion. Envelopes are available at the funeral home. Ruth was born June 21, 1926, in Parkersburg, West Virginia, the daughter of William and Sara (Brewer) Merrifield. She married Dr. William R. Fortino on Aug. 29, 1953 in Colorado. Besides raising her family, Ruth worked as a receptionist at William R. Fortino, D.D.S. When her children were in school she was always a member of the PTA, and to benefit elementary schools, she sold stamps for savings bonds, and served as Cub Scout Leader. She volunteered for a number of organizations including the CMCH Ladies Auxiliary, Art Reach, Operation Smile, Red Cross, New Hope, and Catholic daughters. Ruth was also a member of the General Federation of Womens Clubs. In 2000, she was honored by the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce as Citizen Of The Year for her dedication to her community. She enjoyed cooking, reading, crafts, bingo and traveling. Ruth is survived by seven children, Mia (Cecil) Landon of Zephyrhills, FL, Anne Marie Fortino of Zephyrhills, FL, William (Deborah) Fortino, Jr. of Vancouver, WA, Michael (Lee Ann) Fortino of Mt. Pleasant, Brien Fortino of Charlotte, Jon (Candie) Fortino of Mt. Pleasant, Kristy (Ron) Stevenson of Bailey; daughter-in-law Jacqueline Crippin of Dayton, OH; 19 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren with one on the way; two brothers, William (Shirley) Merrifield of MO, Butch Merrifield of CA; one sister, Barbara Sue Servoss of NC; several nieces and nephews; and dear friends, Anne Crippin of Ft. Wayne, IN, and Colleen Quinlen Fortino of Charlotte.Besides her parents, Ruth was preceded in death by her husband William in 1989; son David Crippin in 2004 and; sister, Daisy Moody.