Ruth Ann Crutcher (Mechler) born Aug. 9,1954 sadly lost her battle with cancer on Nov. 14,2011 at the age of 57. She is survived by her husband Robert Paul Crutcher, their 3 children Rachel, Rebecca, Robert, and granddaughter Kylee. Daughter of the late Robert Mechler and Mary Zacharias, and step-daughter of the late Rev. Edward Zacharias. Sister to Richard Mechler, John Zacharias, Eric (Mary) Zacharias, Alan (Rhonda) Zacharias, Sharon (Scott) Pender and many other family members.

A memorial service will be held at St. Johns Lutheran Church 15800 Manchester Rd. Ellisville, Mo 63011 on Monday the 21st of November, at 11 a.m. A gathering of family and friends will be held at the Elks Lodge (1007 New Ballwin Rd, Ballwin, MO. 63021) following the service. Flowers or donations towards final expenses can be sent to the family home (950 Ridge Rd. Ballwin, Mo. 63021) or to the church the day of the service.
Born in Bryan, Ohio; Ruth spent time living in many places before settling in Ballwin, Mo. She married her husband Robert on July 4 of 1985, shortly after having their first child, Rachel. She always said she lost her independence on Independence Day. Blessed with 2 more children, Rebecca and Robert, Ruth’s family didn’t stop there, and she opened not only her heart but her home as well, to anyone in need. Her love shined light on so many who knew her and anyone who had the pleasure of meeting her.
Ruth was known for her caring, sympathetic ear. She would comfort in times of sorrow, calm in times of anger, offer advice in times of need and always had open arms when a hug was needed. She was never judgmental and always tried to look beyond the faults and see the best in people. Ruth was also known for her big heart, which was said to be bigger than she was. Lovingly called mom by many, she served as a second mother to most of her children’s friends..
Ruth had a passion for helping others and turned her passion into work. Spending time working at Whispering Oaks and Mason Manor, she got to touch many peoples lives. Weather it be cooking meals, assisting in everyday tasks, or lending that sympathetic ear she was known for, she helped many in ways she never knew. Had it not been for her illness, she would have continued working and touched many more lives.
In her spare time, Ruth enjoyed many things. A lot of her time was spent around a nighttime fire with her family and friends. She was well known at these fires for making people laugh, which she loved to do. Her love for dancing made this easy, for she was also known for the silly dances she did. She often use these dances to help brighten someone’s day. In the rest of her time you could find her at home cooking and cleaning, out collecting knick-knacks or simply sitting out side on one of her swings enjoying the peace and quiet
Unexpectedly, on Oct. 7, 2008, shortly after finding out she was going to be a grandma; Ruth was diagnosed with a tumor in her brain. On the 8th, she was diagnosed with 2 more tumors, all as a result of lung cancer. On Oct. 13, she underwent surgery to remove the tumor from her brain, which was successful. On Oct. 24, 2008, the same day she got her staples out from surgery, Ruth was blessed with a 6lbs, 8oz beautiful granddaughter, Kylee. Following the surgery, she went through radiation treatments to treat the remaining tumors. Several months after the radiation, she began chemo-therapy. In April of 2010, after these treatments, doctors couldn’t see the tumors anymore and Ruth was able to live her life semi-normal for a little over a year. Shortly thereafter, Ruth suffered a stroke, which was followed by several seizures and hospital stays. Unfortunately her memory and quality of life slowly declined.
On October 14th, 2011, around 1 a.m., Ruth was taken to the emergency room with pains in her upper chest/ rib cage area. On Oct.17, while still in the hospital, doctors found the cancer was back in the lungs, brain and had now spread to her bones. She was sent home on hospice on Oct. 19. Ruth’s long-term battle with cancer ended in the early morning hours on November 14th, 2011 at her home, surrounded by her family, where she wished to be.
Ruth Ann Crutcher was a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. Although she may be gone from our sight, her life and legacy will live on for many years to come. Please keep her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.