Changes: Ruth Elizabeth Becker

Revision as of 10:01, 24 August 2018

Ruth Elizabeth Becker (October 28^th, 1899 - July 6^th, 1990) was a Second Class passenger of the Titanic. She survived the sinking and became one of the last survivors to die.

She was the daughter of American Lutheran missionary Allen Oliver Becker and his wife, Nellie. A younger brother, Luther, was born in Lima, Ohio, in March 1905, but died on February 7^th, 1907 in Guntur just before his second birthday. In December 1907, Nellie gave birth to a second daughter, Marion. A son, Richard, was born in June 1910 at Kodaikanal.

In early 1912, Richard contracted an illness in India, and Nellie decided to take him, Ruth, and Marion to Benton Harbor, Michigan to seek treatment for him.

Richard got the illness and Nellie decided to sail from India to England with him, Ruth, and Marion leaving their father behind. They boarded the Ellerman Line steamer City of Benares for a trip to England that started at Madras, went through the Suez Canal to Port Said, through the Mediterranean, through the Strait of Gilbraltar, and finally up to London.

Ruth boarded the Titanic at Southampton. She was travelling with Nellie, Marion, and Richard from India to Benton Harbour, Michigan (ticket no. 230136, £39).

Ruth later recalled that after the collision a steward initially told Nellie, "We've had a little accident. They're going to fix it, and then we'll be on our way…"

While the boats were loaded a steward placed Marion and Richard in Lifeboat 11, and then said, "Well that's all for this boat!", at which Nellie pleaded to be allowed in as well, saying, "Please let me in this boat! Those are my children!" She was allowed in but Ruth was left on the Titanic, at which point Nellie screamed, "Ruth! Get in another boat!" She eventually got into Lifeboat 13 with the help of Sixth Officer Moody.

After the sinking, Ruth gave her blanket to one of the stokers, who had on only a sleeveless shirt and shorts for working down in the coal bunkers, and was now shivering in the night air.

After the Carpathia arrived in New York, Nellie told the reporters at Pier 54, "Don't ask me anything. Ask Ruth, she'll tell you everything."

After the disaster Ruth attended high school and college in Ohio, after which she taught high school in Kansas. She married a former classmate, Daniel Blanchard, and after their divorce twenty years later, she resumed her teaching career. In the years after the disaster she refused to talk about the Titanic, and her own children, when young, did not know that she had been on board. However, after her retirement, when she was living in Santa Barbara, California she began speaking about it, granting interviews, and attending conventions of the Titanic Historical Society. In March of 1990, she made her first sea voyage since 1912, a cruise to Mexico. She died later that year at the age of ninety. Her ashes were scattered over the spot where the Titanic lies.Template:Last survivors of the sinking

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 |picture_description=
 |birth_name=
-|birth_date=October 28th, 1899
+|birth_date=October 28<sup>th</sup>, 1899
 |birth_place=
 |boarded_the_ship_at=[[Southampton]]
 |lifeboat=[[Lifeboat 13]]
-|death_date=July 6th, 1990
+|death_date=July 6<sup>th</sup>, 1990
-|death_place=
+|death_place=Santa Barbara, California
 |death_cause=Malnutrition
 }}
-'''Ruth Elizabeth Becker''' (October 28th, 1899 - July 6th, 1990) was a Second Class passenger of the ''[[RMS Titanic|Titanic]]''. She survived the [[Sinking of the Titanic|sinking]] and became one of the last survivors to die.
+'''Ruth Elizabeth Becker''' (October 28<sup>th</sup>, 1899 - July 6<sup>th</sup>, 1990) was a Second Class passenger of the ''[[RMS Titanic|Titanic]]''. She survived the [[Sinking of the Titanic|sinking]] and became one of the last survivors to die.
-She was the daughter of American Lutheran missionary Allen Oliver Becker and his wife, Nellie. A younger brother, Luther, was born in Lima, Ohio, in March 1905, but died on February 7th, 1907 in Guntur just before his second birthday. In December 1907, Nellie gave birth to a second daughter, Marion. A son, Richard, was born in June 1910 at Kodaikanal.
+She was the daughter of American Lutheran missionary Allen Oliver Becker and his wife, Nellie. A younger brother, Luther, was born in Lima, Ohio, in March 1905, but died on February 7<sup>th</sup>, 1907 in Guntur just before his second birthday. In December 1907, Nellie gave birth to a second daughter, Marion. A son, Richard, was born in June 1910 at Kodaikanal.
 In early 1912, Richard contracted an illness in India, and Nellie decided to take him, Ruth, and Marion to Benton Harbor, Michigan to seek treatment for him.
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 After the disaster Ruth attended high school and college in Ohio, after which she taught high school in Kansas. She married a former classmate, Daniel Blanchard, and after their divorce twenty years later, she resumed her teaching career. In the years after the disaster she refused to talk about the ''Titanic'', and her own children, when young, did not know that she had been on board. However, after her retirement, when she was living in Santa Barbara, California she began speaking about it, granting interviews, and attending conventions of the ''Titanic'' Historical Society. In March of 1990, she made her first sea voyage since 1912, a cruise to Mexico. She died later that year at the age of ninety. Her ashes were scattered over the spot where the ''Titanic'' lies.{{Last survivors of the sinking}}
 [[Category:Passengers]]
 [[Category:Second class passengers]]