1917
Ruth
2015
Ruth Elizabeth Dorman
September 2, 1917 — May 31, 2015
Ruth Elizabeth (Nicodemus) Dorman, 97, of Williamsport, died on Sunday, May 31, 2015, at Homewood of Williamsport.
Born September 2, 1917 in Monrovia, she was the daughter of the late Vernon Webster and Emma Elizabeth (Shawbaker) Nicodemus.
In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her loving husband of 62 years, David S. Dorman, whom she married on March 22, 1941. David died February 20, 2003. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Mary Louis, Alan Webster, and E. Lucille.
Music brought and joined Ruth and David together. She met her husband when her woman’s quartet sang with the Cumberland Valley Choristers, of which David was a member. Later Ruth joined the newly organized Arion Chorus, which David directed. Following their marriage in 1941 and US entry in to WWII, David was deployed to the Pacific theater with the US Army. At home, Ruth and her sister Lucille sang frequently at Newton D. Baker Veteran's Hospital in Martinsburg West Virginia, making the trip in spite of wartime gasoline rationing.
For several years before and eleven years after WWII, the chorus was featured in live weekly nationwide broadcasts on the Mutual radio network. The Arion chorus became a family affair as David’s sister Helen, Ruth’s sister Lucille, and Lucille's husband Earl were also part of this ensemble.
Ruth was a member of Christ’s Reformed Church in Hagerstown. Although David's career with the Potomac Edison company involved several moves, music was never out of the picture, as Ruth and David directed and sang in church choirs in Frostburg, Frederick, Winchester and Hagerstown. Ruth's powerful, operatic quality contralto voice even enabled her to sing tenor, on occasion, when David's choir was "short" on male voices.
Ruth was invariably active in the arts community regardless of which town they lived in. She served as President of the Treble Clef, a local woman’s music club, as well as President of the Maryland Federation of Music Clubs. She volunteered with the Hagerstown Community Concerts Program, and served on the board of directors of the Maryland Theatre. Ruth was also a volunteer at the Washington County Hospital for many years.
Ruth is survived by three children, Michael David Dorman of The Villages, FL, Steven Lee Dorman of Beltsville, MD, Mary Ellen (Dorman) Pease of Freeland, MD; three grandchildren, Julie Kristin (Dorman) Ohrberg, David Matthew Dorman, Elizabeth Nicole Pease; and two great-grandchildren, Jacob Nicholas Ohrberg and Matthew James Ohrberg.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30pm on Sunday, August 30, 2015 at Homewood of Williamsport (Community Center Chapel), 16505 Virginia Ave., Williamsport. Reception to be held immediately after.
Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 108 Byte Dr., Ste 103, Frederick, MD 21702.
Rest Haven Funeral Chapel, Hagerstown, is in charge of the arrangements.
Born September 2, 1917 in Monrovia, she was the daughter of the late Vernon Webster and Emma Elizabeth (Shawbaker) Nicodemus.
In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her loving husband of 62 years, David S. Dorman, whom she married on March 22, 1941. David died February 20, 2003. She was also preceded in death by her siblings, Mary Louis, Alan Webster, and E. Lucille.
Music brought and joined Ruth and David together. She met her husband when her woman’s quartet sang with the Cumberland Valley Choristers, of which David was a member. Later Ruth joined the newly organized Arion Chorus, which David directed. Following their marriage in 1941 and US entry in to WWII, David was deployed to the Pacific theater with the US Army. At home, Ruth and her sister Lucille sang frequently at Newton D. Baker Veteran's Hospital in Martinsburg West Virginia, making the trip in spite of wartime gasoline rationing.
For several years before and eleven years after WWII, the chorus was featured in live weekly nationwide broadcasts on the Mutual radio network. The Arion chorus became a family affair as David’s sister Helen, Ruth’s sister Lucille, and Lucille's husband Earl were also part of this ensemble.
Ruth was a member of Christ’s Reformed Church in Hagerstown. Although David's career with the Potomac Edison company involved several moves, music was never out of the picture, as Ruth and David directed and sang in church choirs in Frostburg, Frederick, Winchester and Hagerstown. Ruth's powerful, operatic quality contralto voice even enabled her to sing tenor, on occasion, when David's choir was "short" on male voices.
Ruth was invariably active in the arts community regardless of which town they lived in. She served as President of the Treble Clef, a local woman’s music club, as well as President of the Maryland Federation of Music Clubs. She volunteered with the Hagerstown Community Concerts Program, and served on the board of directors of the Maryland Theatre. Ruth was also a volunteer at the Washington County Hospital for many years.
Ruth is survived by three children, Michael David Dorman of The Villages, FL, Steven Lee Dorman of Beltsville, MD, Mary Ellen (Dorman) Pease of Freeland, MD; three grandchildren, Julie Kristin (Dorman) Ohrberg, David Matthew Dorman, Elizabeth Nicole Pease; and two great-grandchildren, Jacob Nicholas Ohrberg and Matthew James Ohrberg.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30pm on Sunday, August 30, 2015 at Homewood of Williamsport (Community Center Chapel), 16505 Virginia Ave., Williamsport. Reception to be held immediately after.
Contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 108 Byte Dr., Ste 103, Frederick, MD 21702.
Rest Haven Funeral Chapel, Hagerstown, is in charge of the arrangements.
To send flowers to the family in memory of Ruth Elizabeth Dorman, please visit our flower store.
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