Ruth Packer

TRAVERSE CITY — Ruth Arletta Packer, 95, a homemaker of Traverse City, died Thursday evening, June 17, 2010, at her home surrounded by members of her loving family.She loved to cook for her family and friends, and in her career she helped nourish the public, too. Ruth was born in Grand Rapids in 1914, the only child of Orville and Louie Aldrich. She graduated from Grand Rapids Junior College in 1935, then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in foods and nutrition from Michigan State University and a graduate degree in dietetics from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.She worked as a registered dietitian at Baltimore's City Hospital and Chicago Memorial Hospital. She married Dr. William Howard Morrison in 1940 and moved to Dayton, Ohio, where she became the chief dietitian for the Frigidaire Division of General Motors in Ohio. During 1943, under wartime rationing, she oversaw the serving of more than four million meals from the company's cafeterias and stores. She later ran the YMCA cafeteria in Grand Rapids.Ruth and "Morrie" adopted four children, three boys and a girl, who ranged in age from nine-months to five-years. They settled in Grand Blanc and then Flint. A talented pianist and organist, she took special joy from her longtime volunteer work directing the large children's choir program at Grand Blanc United Methodist Church.When Ruth's husband died suddenly in 1965, she went back to school at MSU and worked as a staff dietitian at St. Joseph's Hospital in Flint.Eventually she moved to the family's summer home on Torch Lake, where she fell in love again and married Lee W. Packer, a retired insurance agent. Their blended family included Lee's three children and their families. Ruth and Lee lived in Florida and Arizona before moving to Traverse City in the late 1980s; he predeceased her, along with two of her sons, William Charles Morrison and Mark Morrison; and two stepchildren, Robert Packer and Barbara Dion.Ruth is survived by her son, John Morrison, of Old Town, Fla.; her daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and Ric Coglianese, of Traverse City; daughters-in-law, Kit Morrison, of Richfield, Minn., and Leslie Morrison, of Burlington, N.J.; stepdaughter, Patricia Noffsinger, of Swartz Creek; stepson-in-law, Leo Dion, of Rapid City; and her stepdaughter-in-law Kathleen Packer.Kathleen lived with Ruth for more than 20 years and became her esteemed caregiver, for which Ruth's children are deeply and forever grateful.Other survivors include five grandchildren; 11 stepgrandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. At Ruth's request, cremation has taken place. No services will be held at this time; however, if a memory of her has been left with you, we ask that you drop a brief note to her daughter, or share your memories with the family on their online guestbook at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.Interment will be at the Morrison family grave site at Evergreen Cemetery in Grand Blanc. The family is being served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.