Ruth A. (Imbody) Hosea

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

MONMOUTH JUNCTION, N.J. -- Ruth A. (Imbody) Hosea, 78, of Monmouth Junction, N.J., died peacefully on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 11, 2006, in Princeton Hospital after long battles with cancer and finally failure of several bodily organs. She was the beloved wife of George L. Hosea, the loving mother of Debbie and Sandy and an inspiration and loyal friend to other family members and many friends.

She was born in Green Lane, Pa. After college graduation she lived four years each in Nebraska and Maine and has resided in South Brunswick Township since 1957. She was a teacher in Wilsonville, an Air Force wife in Presque Isle, Maine, during the Korean Conflict and a special education teacher for 20 years in the South Brunswick School System.

She was a member of Frieden's United Methodist Church of Christ in Sumneytown, Pa., and since 1964, she and her husband have been members of Six Mile Run Reformed Church in Franklin Park, N.J.

She received her bachelor's degree from West Chester State Teachers' College (now West Chester University) in West Chester, Pa., and her master's degree from Trenton State (now The College of New Jersey).

In 1949, the former Miss Imbody and a college girlfriend began their teaching careers, positions they obtained through an agency, in Nebraska. Miss Imbody taught English and history in Wilsonville High School, the same system and in the hometown where her future husband began his teaching and coaching career the same year.

The couple was married in Frieden's UCC in Sumneytown, the bride's family church on June 3, 1951.

Mrs. Hosea was predeceased by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace and Edna Imbody of East Greenville, Pa., and a grandson, Bryan Lamb of Rochester, N.Y. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, George L. Hosea; daughters, Deborah Burgio of Rochester, N.Y., and Cynthia (Sandy) Mozur of Dallas (Irving), Texas; granddaughter, Kemberly her husband, Bradd, and great-granddaughter, Arianna; granddaughter, Katherine, her husband, Michael, and great-granddaughter, Mikayala, all of Rochester; grandsons, Charles James Mozur III and Kyle Douglas Mozur, both of Irving; sisters, Alma Meyers of Red Hill, Pa., and Ethel Klaver of Boyertown, Pa.; nieces, Gail Stevens and her husband Barry of Red Hill, Claudia Lang and her husband Doug of Bechtelsville, Pa., and Greg Stevens and his wife Andrea of Red Hill; and sisters-in-law, Ruth Ruf and her husband Edward of Wilsonville and Janet Hosea of Cedar Falls.

Services for the celebration of Ruth's life will be at 11 a.m. Saturday morning, Feb. 18, 2006, in Six Mile Run Reformed Church in Franklin Park. Friends will be received by the family in Six Mile Run RC from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Burial services will be at the Frieden's United Church of Christ in Sumneytown (Montgomery County). Dr. Ursula Cargill, Princeton Seminary Scholar and student minister at Six Mile Run RC, will officiate both services.

Arrangements are under the direction of the M.J. Murphy Funeral Home Inc., 616 Ridge Road, PO Box 34, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852, (732) 329-2000.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ruth A. Hosea Memorial Fund, Six Mile Run Reformed Church, PO Box 649, 3037 Route 27, Franklin Park, NJ, or to Frieden's United Church of Christ, PO Box 268, Sumneytown, PA 18084.