Posted by Bud on February 02, 2010 at 21:18:54:
'Kathy's' mom passes away at 101
For faithful listeners of the "Kathy and Judy Show" on WGN Radio, hearing Kathy O'Malley describe outings with her active mother - who was well into her '90s - made them feel like part of the family.
Ruth Fruin, they knew, had been a longtime kindergarten teacher in Crystal Lake before retiring to Arlington Heights. There, she continued to teach, only this time giving English instruction to adults in her apartment complex who mostly were Russian and Korean immigrants.
Mrs. Fruin passed away Jan. 19, at the age of 101.
Ginny Visin, a school board member with Crystal Lake Elementary District 47, remembers starting out her own teaching career back in the mid-1950s working alongside Mrs. Fruin at Central School.
"She was a wonderful mentor to me," Visin says. "She was nurturing but very defined. She never asked more of a child than she thought they could do, but she set high expectations for them."
Mrs. Fruin had begun her teaching career in the Chicago Public School system before marrying Robert Fruin.
"She married later in life, and had her five children right away," Visin adds. "As a professional woman, she was ahead of her time."
Once her five children all were in school, Mrs. Fruin returned to teaching in Crystal Lake where she and her husband raised their family.
"The children attended St. Thomas, and they would walk from there to Central after school," Visin adds. "I remember some of the girls would help their mother and me with our bulletin boards."
Mrs. Fruin taught all of the primary grades, but is remembered fondly in the community as a kindergarten teacher.
"So many children in the community got their basics from her, and went on to achieve great things," Visin says. "They became doctors, lawyers, engineers, and even the CEO of 3M."
After retiring, Mrs. Fruin moved to Linden Place senior housing in Arlington Heights, where she eagerly reached out to her neighbors to help them assimilate to their new country.
"She'd meet with them upstairs in the library," says staff member Kathy Roman. "People speak very fondly of her. They appreciated all of her help."
Visin continued to hear regularly from Mrs. Fruin, who faithfully hand wrote all of her own Christmas cards, even as recently as in December.
"She sent me a little bookmark with a note," Visin recalls. "Her penmanship was still perfection."
Mrs. Fruin was preceded in death by her husband. Besides O'Malley, she is survived by her children, Mary Brawley, Roberta (Thomas) Murphy, Paul Fruin and Claire (John) Ross; as well as 13 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Services have been held.