Ruth Elizabeth Clark McDaniel passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on April 18, 2022, at the home of her daughter, Patricia. 

Ruth was born on January 16, 1935, to Alden I. Clark and Ruth A. Clark in Rochester, NY. She attended Northwestern University, where she studied journalism. She was a reporter for the Democrat and Chronical in Rochester, NY, and for the Washington Post. She also served as the press secretary for U.S. Representive Stuyvesant Wainwright of New York.

She married Marlin K. McDaniel in 1957 and they lived in Indianapolis, then Richmond, Indiana. She had five children, of whom she was very loving and tolerant. After her divorce in 1980, she embraced the role of a loving and dedicated single mother, and through sacrifice and dedication, succeeded tremendously. 

Ruth worked as the administrative assistant for the Biology Department at Earlham College for many years and retired in 2005. After retirement, she moved to Rochester, NY, where she settled in her family’s house on Lake Ontario. She spent many contented years enjoying the lake view and the frequent visits of her children. She also enjoyed reading and re-reading her collection of Agatha Christie novels.

For the last year and a half, Ruth lived with her daughter, Patricia, and her family, in Maineville, Ohio, where she received incredible support and love. 

Ruth is survived by her sister, Martha Vale, and four children, Curtis (Deirdre) McDaniel, Patricia (Cody) Dooley, Scott (Yuli) McDaniel, and Susan McDaniel Presley, along with numerous grandchildren. She was deeply loved by her children and extended family and will be missed by all.

Ruth will be buried in her family plot at the Riverside Cemetery in Rochester, NY. No services are planned. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/donate/) or Make-a-Wish Foundation for Western New York (https://wish.org/newyork). Online condolences may be made to Ruth Elizabeth Clark McDaniel (gatheringus.com).