Ruth Howell

Ruth Arbutis Yoder Howell, 104, died July 7, 2026.

She was born on April 13, 1922, to Ira J and Marie (Hoar) Yoder on her parents’ farm 12 miles north of Brockton. She was the third of six children in the Yoder family.

She attended grade school at the Anderson Country School and then went to Brockton public school for eighth and ninth grade. The family then moved to Poplar where she graduated high school in 1940. That fall, she went to North Central Business College in Minneapolis, Minn., graduating in the spring of 1942. After college, Ruth moved to Wolf Point and took a job in the county assessor’s o_ce. A permanent job soon opened up with Montana-Dakota Utilities, where she worked for five years.

In September 1947, she married Vern M. Howell of Poplar and they lived in Poplar for the next 13 years. During this time a son, James V. Howell was born. They were very active in the Assembly of God Church where she taught Sunday school and had many fond memories of the young people in her class as well as their other friends there.

In 1960, they moved to Denver, Colo., where she worked in secretarial work, retail sales and finally as offi ce manager at the Operation Blessing food and clothing bank that Vern started in Wheat Ridge, Colo. She attended Calvary Temple church for over 40 years where she sang in the choir and taught Sunday school. She and Vern were also very active in Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship.

In December 2009, they moved to Billings to be closer to her youngest brother, Delmer.

She was preceded in death by her son, Jim, in July 1973; and her husband, Vern, in July 2019. Also preceding her were her brothers Donald and Delmer; and sisters, Hazel Shank and Lucille Janzen.

She is survived by one sister, Darlene McCormick.

Graveside services were held July 16 at Hillside Cemetery in Culbertson.