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- A642 Ruth Margaret Van Vlack, b. Feb. 21, 1909 at West View Borough, near Pittsburgh, Pa. She was the first child born in the new home at 229 Princeton Ave., built by her father, who was a carpenter. She, as did her brothers and sister, grew up in a quiet rural atmosphere where neighbor children, church and school provided most of the activity available, except for an occasional trip on the street car to downtown Pittsburgh, the zoo, or nearby amusement park. In her early teens she was a Girl Scout.
Because West View had no high school, she went to Perry High School in Pittsburgh, graduating in 1927 from the commercial course of study. That same year, Ruth?s first job was in downtown Pittsburgh with U. S. Steel Corp. in the stenographic pool. The Great Depression of the 30?s caused her lay off in 1932. Her next job was with Diamond Alkali Corp. as a secretary, from 1932 until 1950, with the later years as a private secretary to an executive.
Ruth was a devout and sincere Christian by practice and example all her life. She attended the West View Methodist Church near her home for over 35 years. She went to Sunday School there from infancy, became a member at age 12, and later taught a Sunday School class until her marriage and moving away.
On a visit in 1949 to a long time girl friend, the wife of a minister of a church in Rochester, N.Y., Ruth met her future husband, who was the assistant minister there. On June 3, 1950 Ruth married John William Tomlinson at the West View Methodist Church. John was born March 14, 1912 in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pa., the son of Howell and Mary (Kenworthy) Tomlinson. He was a letter carrier and of English descent. John graduated from Temple University, B.A. in 1938, Louisville (Ky.) Theological Seminary, Bachelor of Divinity in 1941 and Princeton Theological Seminary, Master of Theology, in 1943. He was ordained Nov. 17, 1941 in Philadelphia Presbytery. John became pastor of Beacon Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pa. in 1941, until called in 1948 to the large Westminster Presbyterian of Rochester, N.Y. to be assistant minister there.
In the year of his marriage to Ruth in 1950, he was called to become minister of the Olivet Presbyterian Church of Utica, N.Y. and served there until retirement in 1976. He was honored to serve as Moderator of the Utica Presbytery for the year 1959.
Utica was their home for 26 years and daughter Sharon Jean was born there. Ruth was a member of the Women?s Society, was church secretary for a tine, and taught Sunday School - her teaching experience totaling 35 years. Her life long hobbies were flower gardening and photography, with notable results.
For many years, on month long vacations, the family toured the western states, the New England area, and the Adirondacks in their camping trailer. John enjoyed trail hiking and mountain climbing, and during this period accomplished Pike?s Peak and the back of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Later, Ruth and John traveled overseas on tours to England, France, Greece, Egypt, Jordan and the Holy Lands.
Upon John?s retirement in 1976, Ruth and John moved to the Pittsburgh, Pa. area and were residing in Bellevue Borough in 1988. John loves to preach and has found gratification in retirement as a supply preacher and has served, from time to time, 71 churches of the 182 in the Pittsburgh Presbytery, as of 1987. John was Chaplain of the North Boroughs Men?s Club for many years, meeting weekly at the Bellevue ?Y?.
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1909 - 1993 (84 years)