- Date Of Birth: May 29, 1930
- Date Of Death: December 16, 2015
- State: Indiana
Ruth Ann (Doub) Callon, 85, mom, grandmother, teacher, coach, and mentor to hundreds (if not thousands), died Wednesday, December 16, 2015. She embodied her Christian values in every aspect of her life, loving and in turn being loved by those she encountered.
Ruth was born May 29, 1930, on the family farm near Whiteland where she lived almost all of her life. Her parents were Harry W. and Martha H. (Bagby) Doub. She met George F. Callon when both were students at Franklin College. Their first date was at the Johnson County Fair, and they continued the tradition of an annual fair date almost all of their lives together. They were married at Greenwood Christian Church on June 14, 1953, and shared life and love together until his death on October 7, 2001.
Ruth graduated from Whiteland High School in 1948, and earned her bachelor’s degree from Franklin College in 1952 and her master’s degree in education from Butler University in 1956. She taught at Whiteland High School from 1953 to 1955, and after a hiatus devoted to the birth and nurture of her two children, she taught and coached at Franklin College from 1962 to 1991. She was awarded an honorary doctor of science degree from Franklin College in 2011.
Ruth was a pioneer in girls’ and women’s sports in Indiana and beyond. She helped write the rules for intercollegiate women’s competition in Indiana, and was part of the IHSAA committee that started postseason competition for high school girls. She was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, and was named by the Indiana Fever as one of fifteen Inspiring Women in 2009.
Ruth is survived by her children, Dan and Debbie Callon of Whiteland and Cathy and Marty Pieratt of Butlerville; her grandchildren, Chelsey and Branden Thompson of Vernon, Carter Pieratt, Marlayna Pieratt, and Callie Pieratt of Butlerville, Emily Callon of Harrisburg, PA, and Nathan Callon of Whiteland; great-granchildren Addy Thompson and baby boy Thompson (due April 2016); her beloved big brother and sister-in-law, James and Margaret Doub of Whiteland; her sister-in-law Marian Callon of Greenwood; her nieces, June Anne Burns, Debi Kelsay, and Linda Waterhouse, and their families; her spiritual children, including Scott and Charlotte Pitts, Valerie and Gary Waters, Donna Pentecost, and Paula Abbott; her spiritual grandchildren, including Krissy and Justin Sullivan; and all her former players and students, as well as friends from throughout her life, who brought her such joy.
