Ruth Ann "Ruthie" Miller

A funeral service celebrating the life of Ruth Ann Ruthie Miller, age 11, of Newark, will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, at Alive Vineyard of Licking County, 7602 Stewart Road, Newark, with Rev. Dr. Steven D. Osborne officiating. Burial will take place in Lutheran Cemetery. Friends may call from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, February 13, at the Alive Vineyard. The family asks that everyone wear pink or purple in memory of Ruthie.Ruth was born April 11, 2003 in Newark, Ohio. She passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 5, 2015 at her home surrounded by her loving family.A 4th grader at Carson Elementary, Ruth had a kind, gentle and loving spirit and loved to give hugs to everyone she met. Ruthie enjoyed coloring, reading, dancing, singing, loved the colors pink and purple and was a fan of the movie Monster High". She was a member of the Licking County Eagles Special Olympics team where she participated in basketball, bowling and track, ranking third in the State of Ohio for track last June. She was also a member of Alive Vineyard of Licking County.Through the Make A Wish Foundation, Ruthie and her family were able to make many happy memories at Walt Disney World and the Kennedy Space Center. Ruthie thoroughly enjoyed the time that she spent at summer camp at Flying Horse Farms in Mount Gilead. She loved every minute that she spent at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium where she had VIP access to the kangaroos and the Heart of Africa exhibit. In October, she was overjoyed by the many wonderful gifts given to her at her Un-Birthday party.Ruthie will be greatly missed by her father and step-mother, Virgil Paul and Samantha Miller of Newark; her mother, Leann Rene (Jones) Hensley of Newark; five siblings, Phillip Hensley, William Hensley and Faith Miller, all of Newark, and Ronald Smith and Mckla Smith, both of Alabama; grandparents, Roy and Judy (Priest) Miller of Newark; great-grandmother, Halsie Bragg of Heath; grandparents, Ray and Marla Corliss of Newark and Kevin and Marianne Freeman of Green, Ohio; as well as aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends.She was preceded in death by her special angel, her grandma, Peggy Bragg; and by her great-grandparents, Ruth and Corbin Priest and Roy and Lulu Miller.We are so incredibly grateful to the Newark community and beyond for the overwhelming amount of love and support that was shown to Ruthie, and to us, throughout Ruthies illness. Your letters, cards, gifts and well-wishes have meant so much to all of us and have lifted not only Ruthies spirits but also our own during this time. Also, special thanks to Hospice of Central Ohio for their excellent care of Ruthie, to Carson Elementary classmates, teachers and administration, Kimels Flowers for their donation of flowers, Garretts Project, Nellies Catwalk for Kids, Robert Holler and family for their generosity, Girls, Glitter and Grace, Alive Vineyard of Licking County, Dance Extreme and The Newark Advocate for bringing Ruthies cause to the forefront.Criss Wagner Hoskinson Funeral Home is honored to care for Ruthie and the Miller family.Memorial contributions may be made to the Ruthie Miller Memorial Fund at any Park National Bank.