Ruth Sherman

Ruth Helen (Hoos) Sherman was born November 17, 1936, in Pioche, NV, the second of 10 siblings to parents, Carl and Helen (Geary) Hoos. The family soon moved to southern California where her father pastored a church. After graduating from Alhambra high school in 1954, she attended BIOLA Bible college where she met the love of her life, Dale Sherman. They were married a year later. The following year, their first child, Benjamin, was born, and two years later, Michael was born. The church they attended commissioned this young family to ministry with Village Missions, an organization providing spiritual leadership in small, rural communities that cannot afford a resident pastor. Shermans were assigned to their first church in Machias, WA, the fall of 1958, where they ministered for 4 years. During that time daughter, Grace, and youngest son Timothy, were born.

Pastor Dale and Ruth's 52 years with Village Missions took them to half a dozen small towns in OR, WA, and CA, where they lovingly brought the gospel of Jesus to and discipled many people. In 2003 Ruth and Dale returned to the PNW to serve once again in Burley, WA. There, Ruth became a widow in 2011 and moved to Orting, WA, where she lived until 2024 and continued to serve the Lord, ministering to the ladies in the church she attended and to her neighbors as well.

Her final two years were spent first with daughter, Grace in Winchester, CA and then with son, Timothy in Marysville, WA where she entered her glorious rest on September 27, 2026 when her Savior called her Home. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dale, oldest son, Benjamin, and 3 siblings. She is survived by son, Michael (Judy), daughter, Grace (Bryan-deceased), son Timothy (Shelley), 6 siblings, 11 grandchildren, 26 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Ruth loved well, encouraged many, was a prayer warrior and faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. A graveside service for family will be at Haven of Rest in Gig Harbor on 10/9 with Celebration of Life held at Burley Bible church on at 3pm. Contributions in her name may be made to Village Missions (https:\\give.villagemissions.org).

Ruth's Spiritual Journey - "Jesus Led Me All the Way"

Born into a Christian home, Ruth came under conviction of sin, and her need of a Savior at a very young age. After hearing an evangelist preach, she came home to sit in the rocking chair with teeth marks on the wooden arms that she had made and lied about. That is where she knelt and prayed for God's forgiveness of her sin; Ruth's mother and grandmother then guided her through several years of scripture memorization with the Bible Memory Association. As a child, she was at times, insecure about her salvation until she memorized John 6:37, "Whosoever cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," and John 10:28, I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand."

During her teen years, she began to realize that her very legalistic home was not what it should be. After graduating from high school, and spending much time in prayer, she chose to attend the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. It was there she met Dale Sherman and they fell in love. This choice was rejected by Ruth's father as Dale was not of the same denominational background. Dale and Ruth were married on July 29,1955 at Jack MacArthur's church in Glendale, CA. As a result, Ruth was cut off completely from her family, including her nine siblings, and was unable to see many of them for several years. She notes this as the beginning of her experiencing a personal walk with God, listening to Him rather than being dictated to by others.
Dale and Ruth learned of Village Missions through their church, (MacArthur Memorial, in Glendale, CA) and God began to lead them in this direction of ministry. Upon Dale's graduation from BIOLA they joined with Village Missions, and soon moved to Machias, WA to shepherd their first church. As they drove up to the 100-year-old parsonage, Ruth was very dismayed. But the Lord brought to her mind the scripture in Philippians 4:11-12: "Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." They often came home to milk, eggs or meat left in their refrigerator, which was a blessing, as the salary was a fraction of what they had been receiving. The church family, and ultimately the community, loved and mentored them, becoming the family Ruth had lost.

Four years later, when they moved to a new ministry in Long Creek, OR, Ruth felt uprooted again, and she began to realize she had placed her "roots" in people and places. At this point Ephesians 3:17-19 became real in her life: "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which surpassed knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." Later, Isaiah 54:2-17 became a very precious portion of scripture, as well.

Dale and Ruth Sherman ministered for 52 years in 6 churches throughout rural Washington, Oregon, and California, returning in 2003 to a previous ministry in Burley, WA. Here they found many who had come to saving faith in the 70's and were privileged to see many of those now in leadership in the church and the school that God enabled them to begin.

"Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; then said they among the heathen, 'The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:2-6

It was there, God took Dale Home to heaven and subsequently moved Ruth to Orting, WA to serve Him. Psalm 68:5 gave her much comfort at that time: "A Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in His holy habitation." One of the blessings she counts in the final chapter of her life was her one-to-one time with God, and she could truly say, "Jesus Led Me All the Way."