Ruth Ann Batstone

Ruth Ann Batstone (née Plubell) passed away in the arms of her loving husband, surrounded by her family, on October 21, 2024, in Lancaster, PA. Ruth Ann was born on February 11, 1945 in Philadelphia, PA, to Paul and Bettie (McQuillan) Plubell. Ruth Ann married Stuart Day Batstone on April 10, 1965 in Plumsteadville, PA.

She is survived by her husband, Stu, and children: Kristin Batstone, Todd Stuart Batstone (Lisa Carter), Jeffrey Paul Batstone (Jesse Bancroft Batstone), and Kara Leslie Batstone Morrissey (Gerald Morrissey III). She is also survived by her grandchildren: Alexander “Zan”, Zoelle, Henri, and Wilson Morrissey; Lucinda and Oliver Batstone; Liam, Charles, and Gabriella Batstone; and Gerald “Fitz”, Seraphina, and Cecelia Morrissey. Additionally, she is survived by her siblings-in-law, Linda (Marc) Paquette Tuel and David (Denice) Batstone, along with nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her mother and father and a baby lost before birth.

Ruth Ann grew up in the Philadelphia area and attended high school at Phil-Mont Christian Academy before graduating from Lutheran General Hospital School of Nursing in the Chicago area. After a 20-year nursing career, she earned a Bachelor's Degree from Eastern College and a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology from Chestnut Hill University. She practiced as a marriage and family therapist for years, bringing healing to many lives. Ruth Ann and Stu joined Serge (formerly World Harvest Mission) in 1990, working on the Renewal team as gospel mentors, traveling worldwide to refresh hearts with the message of grace. Ruth Ann helped many understand the liberating power of forgiveness by publishing her book, Moving On: Beyond Forgive and Forget. She joined the leadership team of Parakaleo (meaning “come alongside”) in the early 2000s, helping women around the world build gospel-rooted resilience and feel less alone in church planting. 

During their six decades of joy and heartache together, Ruth Ann and Stu’s partnership included snorkeling, biking, cruising, and dancing in the minefields. Ruth Ann was happy to have the opportunity to visit many cultures around the world with Stu.

Gifted on the piano keys and as a singer from a young age, Ruth Ann was a prolific musician, organizing hundreds of church worship services, accompanying weddings, and filling her home with exuberant harmonies. No one could be in her presence without being touched by her music. She loved hosting dinners, Bible studies, Christmas parties, and celebrations of any kind, filling many hearts and bellies with her delicious meals and magnificent desserts. Ruth Ann welcomed loved ones into the homes she created in many locations around the country from Illinois to Massachusetts to Texas to Pennsylvania. In each house she hung the sign “Bloom Where You are Planted” and proceeded to embody this with her flowering gardens and her talent for cultivating a welcoming environment of beauty, abundance, and warmth. 

At the center of Ruth Ann’s life was her family. She cultivated in her four children the ability to comfort others with food, wrote songs for them that made memorizing Bible verses easy, nursed their scrapes and bruises with her nurturing love, and instilled the importance of always saving the bottom of the ice cream cone for Mom. Grammie delighted in the new and ever-changing kaleidoscope of learning and adventure provided by her grandchildren, spending time with them fishing, bike riding, playing games, being silly, going to the beach, singing, and baking. She loved hearing and telling stories about her children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments, always an enthusiastic cheerleader and supporter of their varied talents and pursuits. She enjoyed infusing conversations with playful and witty puns, to the occasional consternation, but general delight, of her listeners. She "leafs" this tradition rooted within us, falling in autumn and flowering spring in the garden of our hearts. 

In lieu of flowers, please support the work of Serge in honor of Ruth Ann: https://give.serge.org/s/

 Funeral for Ruth Ann Batstone:

With full hearts Stu and family invite you to attend the funeral of Ruth Ann Batstone, Saturday October 26, 2024 at 2pm EST at the Ellingsworth Auditorium , Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community, 625 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville, PA 17566. For those unable to attend in person please use the livestream link provided below. A reception with light refreshments will be served on-site immediately following the service.

In celebration of Ruth Ann’s delight of color, all are invited to adorn themselves in purple and/or bright flowers.

Please use this link to view the service via livestream: https://www.facebook.com/events/1098697678305988/