RuthEmma Hare Hancock

HancockRuthEmma Hare Hancock, 93, on August 9, 2018, in Greensboro, N.C. Ruth was born on April 3, 1925, in Johnson County, Ky. She earned her undergraduate degree at Furman University and her master’s in library science at University of Michigan. Her roles as daughter, wife, and mother were her greatest joys. She cared for her widowed mother and was a dedicated and encouraging parent and grandparent who loved traveling with her family. Her children have fond memories of their camping trips during which she read aloud from the Little House on the Prairie books. Her grandchildren remember pleasurable trips to National Parks and other places.

A lifelong member of the Religious Society of Friends, she met her future husband, John Hancock, at Ann Arbor (Mich.) Meeting, and they married under the care of Friends. They joined Detroit Meeting when they moved to Detroit, Mich.; worship groups in Alexandria, Va., and Hinsdale, Ill.; and Jamestown (N.C.) Meeting when they retired to North Carolina. Jamestown Friends loved and respected her and John, who also made many friends when they later moved to Friends Homes West in Greensboro. She was active in the meeting’s Open Door Shelter meals, served on the Library Committee and the Peace and Social Concerns Committee, and participated in Bible studies. Friends appreciated her quiet witness, straightforward comments, and loving manner. She was present for worship services and other meeting functions until her final weeks of life.

Ruth and John were inseparable and often held hands, symbolizing their connection, support, and commitment to one another, which stood as a beacon to everyone they encountered. An avid reader, she was kind, patient, modest, and courageous. Her family and her meeting are proud to carry her spirit with them.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 66 years, John Hancock; two children, John H. Hancock and Rhoda Ruth Rossman; and a nephew, Michael Velotta.

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