Martha Ruggles

Loving, compassionate, and kind, Martha Ruggles lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. A natural conversationalist, Martha enjoyed sharing good conversations and could talk for hours upon hours. She welcomed each day as a gift and was grateful for life's blessings. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Martha will long be remembered by those she so dearly loved.

America navigated the 1950s with a booming consumer culture thanks to new inventions and new technologies. People flocked to the theaters to see the newest Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn movies. After many generations of parents deciding what their kids wore, a new revolution of fashion-conscious teenagers became the norm. The conveniences of drive-in movies and fast food were also growing in popularity. It was during these exciting times that William "Bill" and Ruth (Algren) Pettit welcomed their daughter, Martha, into their family on July 14th, 1951.

Growing up in northwest Illinois, Martha was raised in a home where her parents taught her that, above all, love, compassion, and family were the most important. Her mother worked for the psychiatric hospital, and her father was a car salesman. She attended local Catholic schools, where she was known for her genuine kindness.

After high school, Martha continued her education at the University of Illinois. In 1970, while visiting her cousin Patty in West Michigan, she met her future husband, Alan Ruggles. Having gotten out of the Army the year prior, Alan found Martha attractive, friendly, and easy to talk to, and he was instantly smitten. But Martha was seeing another man. After that first meeting, with great determination, Patty said to Martha, "What are you doing? You belong with Alan! You're going to be his wife!"

When Alan asked Martha where she lived, and she said, "Galesburg," he thought it was really lovely that she was only twenty miles away. Imagine his disappointment when he realized she lived 150 miles away in Galesburg, Illinois, not Michigan. Though Alan hadn't had a girlfriend since the third grade, he knew Martha was worth pursuing and that he would get his girl.

Even though he only had a bicycle for transportation, Alan was determined to make it work. He'd hitchhike to Illinois, where he and Martha would walk the banks of Crystal Lake and take their time getting to know each other. In between visits, they would mail letters back and forth and frequently speak on the phone.

When Martha decided to make the trip to West Michigan and knocked on Alan's door, she wasn't even sure if he was home. Much to her delight, Alan was very pleased to see her. It was an, “I want you, you want me, and that's how it's going to be," type of moment. Soon after this visit, Alan moved to be near Martha. Their first official date was to a drive-in movie theatre to watch the movie Woodstock. As Martha was living with people Alan didn't care for, they ended up getting an apartment together. Shortly after moving in together, they married on February 20, 1971.

Martha and Alan were blessed to welcome three children to their family: Hannah, Bethany, and John. Bethany's home birth was very special to Martha. They would jokingly say that the girls made life easier, and John had a way of making life more difficult.

In time, the family moved to Michigan and moved quite frequently before finally settling in the Mattawan area where Martha and Alan loved riding their bikes through the countryside but sometimes got swarmed by deer flies. As a family, they loved playing wiffle ball together. Alan recalled a time when Martha was pitching while pregnant with John, and he and Hannah were batting. After Alan hit the ball, Hannah and Alan ran the bases twice before Martha retrieved it!

A loving mother, Martha raised her kids with the same values her parents instilled in her; love, compassion, and family. She also taught them to be kind, caring, competitive, and self-assertive. She insisted they stand up for themselves and not allow others to walk all over them. She encouraged all of her kids to play sports, work hard, and do well in school.

Martha enjoyed many laughs, especially when they reminisced about how she was Alan's next girlfriend after the one he had in third grade. Alan also made her a vegetable soup that she loved so much, she ate it nearly every day.

As we celebrate Martha's life, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying her legacy forward. In each moment we lead with our hearts, greet the day with gladness, confidently face life's challenges, encourage our loved ones' endeavors, and share a hearty laugh with our beloved, we keep Martha's memory alive and inspiring love, compassion, and meaningful connection.

Martha Ruggles, age 74, died on November 1, 2025. Cremation has taken place. Please join us at a Life Story Service on Wednesday, November 12, at 4 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center, where food, drinks, and stories will be shared. Burial at Mount Ever Rest Memorial Park South on Friday, November 14, at 2 PM. Celebrate Martha's life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com.