Ruth Katherine Sabina Lloyd-Hulsey was born Jan. 10, 1945, in St. Louis, to Henry B. and Lydia (nee Rohlfing) Hoerstkamp. Death came after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer on Oct. 2.
She graduated from Hermann High School in 1963 and from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis in 1966.
She was married to Gary Lloyd in 1976. They had one son Benjamin. She married Ray Hulsey in 2003.
Ruth practiced her beloved profession for 56 years until July of 2022. Her experience during those years was diverse — hospital floor nursing at Deaconess Hospital in St. Louis, Eureka and Hermann; industrial nursing at the St. Louis Chevrolet Shell plant; medical research nursing at Barnes Hospital; geriatric nursing at Frene Valley Nursing Home, Geriatric Center and Health Center in Hermann; and home health nursing through Hermann Area District Hospital, her last and favored nursing experience. Ruth also obtained a license for nursing home administration in which capacity she served with the Frene Valley Corporation. If a return to health would have permitted and an appropriate opportunity had presented itself, Ruth would have returned to nursing.
Ruth’s second love was music and it had become an avocation for her for more than the last decade of her life. She picked up her clarinet and then bass clarinet after not having played it for 40 years. At the keyboard became a favorite place for her to be. She had piano lessons as a youngster. She was the Saturday evening pianist at St. George Church for more than a decade and a regular at the keyboard at St. Paul UCC and the Church of the Risen Savior.
She channeled her love for music and her drive always to learn something new when she got involved with the handbell choir at St. Paul UCC. She became the director of the choir, rewriting music as needed and always challenging her ringers to greater heights.
She is preceded in death by parents, Henry and Lydia; and husbands, Gary and Ray.
Ruth is survived by loyal, very special friend, Darrel Deeker; son, Benjamin; brother, James Hoerstkamp and wife Sharon; sister, Lois Kruse and husband Don; and nieces, Dawn (Dale) Maune and Rebekah (Shawn) Mayberry; and a myriad of other family, friends and co-workers.
Funeral services were held Friday, Oct. 6, at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Hermann. Burial was at Hermann Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be given to Hermann Area Crusade Against Cancer or St. Paul UCC.
Arrangements entrusted to Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home, Hermann.
