Ruth Marilyn Davison

Ruth Marilyn Davison, age 80 of Bloomington, passed away Monday, February 10, 2014 at Autumn Hills Care Center. She was born in Columbus Ohio on January 13, 1934, the daughter of Harry Ralph and Martha Barnhill Davison. In 1945 her family moved to Freetown Indiana to operate a tree nursery. Following graduation from Freetown High School in 1952, Ruth worked at the Seymour Shirt Factory to save money so she could attend Indiana University. She received her B.A. degree in English in 1957, her M.A. in Library Science in 1964, and a Specialist Degree from IU's School of Library and Information Science in 1983. She began her career as a bookmobile librarian in Batavia Ohio (1957-1960). She served as the field consultant for public libraries at the Indiana State Library from 1961-1967. In June 1967 Ruth became the U.S. Documents Librarian at Indiana University Bloomington, a position she held until she retired in 1998. In 1986, Ruth spent a sabbatical leave completing research on public libraries in Indiana entitled "Government Publications Needs and Wants: a survey of Indiana Non-Depository Public Libraries" Indiana Libraries 1986. Ruth was an active member of the Indiana Library Federation and INDIGO, Indiana Networking for Documents and Information of Government Organizations. Ruth enjoyed her responsibilities but especially helping library clients with difficult U.S. reference and collection needs. Throughout her life, Ruth was an avid reader but she also enjoyed outdoor walks, music and flowers. Her favorite flower were the early deep purple violets, common in rural areas of Indiana. She loved starting new plants from seeds including cactus, trees, and common annuals. Ruth often volunteered at the Salvation Army's annual Christmas drive. Ruth is survived by cousins in Ohio and numerous friends and colleagues in Bloomington and at Libraries around Indiana. Funeral services for Ruth will be held Thursday, February 13, 2014 at 1:00PM at Allen Funeral Home 4155 South Old Highway 37 with family friend Russell Fritz officiating. Burial will follow in the Houston Cemetery in Freetown. Visitation will also be held Thursday, February 13, 2014 at Allen Funeral Home from 11:00AM until the time of the service at 1:00PM. Instead of flowers, donations can be made to the Salvation Army, the Houston Cemetery (Jackson County Indiana), or the Government Information Endowment at the IUB Libraries. Friends are especially appreciative of the loving care given by the care givers at Autumn Hills and Premier Hospice Care. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneralhome.org.

Tributes

Ruth Marilyn Davison

January 13, 1934 - February 10, 2014