Ruth Graham
Encyclopedia
Ruth Bell Graham wife of the famous evangelist Billy Graham, was born at Qingjiang, Kiangsu, China
as Ruth McCue Bell, the second of five children. Her parents, Dr. and Mrs. L. Nelson Bell
, were medical missionaries at the Presbyterian Hospital 300 miles north of Shanghai
. At the age of 13 she was enrolled in high school in Pyongyang
, Korea
, where she studied for three years. Ruth completed her high school education at Montreat, North Carolina
, while her parents were there on furlough. She graduated from Wheaton College (Illinois)
in Wheaton, Illinois
.
The Grahams met at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois
and were married in the summer of 1943, shortly after their graduation. Ruth became a minister's wife for a brief period in Western Springs, Illinois
. They lived out the rest of her life in Montreat, North Carolina. The Grahams have five children: Virginia (Gigi), Anne, Ruth, Franklin and Nelson Edman (Ned), nineteen grandchildren, and numerous great grandchildren. Grandson Tullian Tchividjian is senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Mrs. Graham wrote “Our Christmas Story,” “Sitting by My Laughing Fire,” “It's My Turn,” “The Legacy of a Pack Rat,” “Prodigals and Those Who Love Them,” “Clouds Are the Dust of His Feet,” “One Wintry Night,” “Coffee and Conversation with Ruth Bell Graham and Gigi Graham Tchividjian,” “Collected Poems,” “Mothers Together,” and “Prayers From A Mother’s Heart.” Mrs. Graham’s most recent books published in 2001 are, “Never Let It End: Poems of a Lifelong Love“ published by Baker Books, “Footprints of a Pilgrim: The Life and Loves of Ruth Bell Graham,” published by Word Publishing and “A Quiet Knowing,” published by W Publishing Group.
, Kiangsu
, China
, as Ruth McCue Bell. Her parents, Dr. L. Nelson Bell
and Virginia McCue Bell, were American medical missionaries
at the Presbyterian Hospital 300 miles north of Shanghai
. She grew up in China in a deeply religious household. Some of her early life in China is depicted in the biography of her father, a general surgeon, in "A Foreign Devil in China" (by John Charles Pollock, ISBN 0890661413).
Bell studied for three years at a high school in Pyongyang
, now in North Korea
, before graduating from a school in Montreat, North Carolina
, while her parents were on furlough
.
, outside Chicago
, Illinois
, where she met Graham. They married on August 13, 1943. In 1945, after a brief stint as a suburban pastor, her husband became an evangelist for Youth for Christ
. The Grahams moved to Montreat near her parents where the Grahams continued to live for the rest of their married life. Despite Billy Graham being one of the world's most famous Baptists, his wife remained a Presbyterian and often taught Sunday School
.
Between 1945 and 1958, Mrs. Graham gave birth to five children, whom she raised — sometimes single-handedly — while her husband was away on extended national and international evangelistic crusades. The three daughters and two sons who survive her are all actively involved in ministry, including eldest son Franklin
, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) founded by his father.
, Mrs. Graham published her first book, Our Christmas Story, an illustrated volume for children. She went on to write or co-write 13 other books, many of them works of poetry she wrote as an emotional release while her husband was so often on the road through the years.
Mrs. Graham’s significant role in Billy Graham's ministry was recognized in 1996, when they were jointly awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in a special ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C.
.
Ruth Graham was always a vital part of Billy Graham’s evangelistic career, and he turned to her for advice and input about many ministry decisions. One of the early uses of media by the BGEA was the “Hour of Decision” radio program begun in 1950, which she named. After her upbringing in China and high school experience in Korea, she continued to have compassion for the people of Asia. She encouraged her husband to visit and later accompanied him during his historic visits to the People's Republic of China
.
, with which she was actively involved until her death.
in 1995. This was exacerbated by a degenerative osteoarthritis
of the back and neck that began with a fall while testing a swing she made for her grandchildren in 1974 that resulted in chronic back pain for many years. During the final months of her life, Graham was bedridden and had contracted pneumonia
.
The day before Ruth's death, Billy Graham released a statement through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association stating, "Ruth is my soul mate and best friend, and I cannot imagine living a single day without her by my side. I am more and more in love with her today than when we first met over 65 years ago as students at Wheaton College."
On Monday, June 11, at Ruth's request and subsequent to consultation with her family, she was removed from life support. On June 13, 2007, following her decline into a semi-coma, Billy Graham announced that he and his wife had decided to be buried beside each other at the Billy Graham Library
in Charlotte, North Carolina
. She died at 5:05 p.m. EDT June 14, 2007, at her home, Little Piney Cove, in Montreat, North Carolina
, with her husband and five children at her bedside, just 4 days after her 87th birthday. A private ceremony followed by burial on the grounds of the Billy Graham Library
was held on Sunday, June 17, 2007.
In a statement released from Wheaton College, Dr. Duane Litfin, president of the school, remarked, “Strong, steady, and dauntless, Ruth Bell Graham was the glue that held the many of the parts of their lives together.” Understanding the importance of his calling, Ruth joined Reverend Graham willingly in his ministry, though she preferred her role to be behind the scenes.
Huai'an
Huai'an , known as Huaiyin before 2001, is a prefecture-level city in northern Jiangsu province of Eastern China. It borders Suqian to the northwest, Lianyungang to the north, Yancheng to the east, Yangzhou to the southeast, and the province of Anhui to the southwest.The municipality has 4,799,889...
as Ruth McCue Bell, the second of five children. Her parents, Dr. and Mrs. L. Nelson Bell
L. Nelson Bell
Lemuel Nelson Bell was a medical missionary in China and the father-in-law of famous evangelist Billy Graham. Few people had more influence on Billy Graham than Bell. -Life:Bell was born in Longdale, Virginia...
, were medical missionaries at the Presbyterian Hospital 300 miles north of Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. At the age of 13 she was enrolled in high school in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, where she studied for three years. Ruth completed her high school education at Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 696 in 2008. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, while her parents were there on furlough. She graduated from Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
in Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
.
The Grahams met at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois
Wheaton is an affluent community located in DuPage County, Illinois, approximately west of Chicago and Lake Michigan. Wheaton is the county seat of DuPage County...
and were married in the summer of 1943, shortly after their graduation. Ruth became a minister's wife for a brief period in Western Springs, Illinois
Western Springs, Illinois
Western Springs is a suburb of Chicago located in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 12,493. It is twinned with Rugeley, United Kingdom....
. They lived out the rest of her life in Montreat, North Carolina. The Grahams have five children: Virginia (Gigi), Anne, Ruth, Franklin and Nelson Edman (Ned), nineteen grandchildren, and numerous great grandchildren. Grandson Tullian Tchividjian is senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. It was founded in 1960 by D. James Kennedy , who served as the church's senior pastor until his death in 2007. The present church building seating 2,800 persons was...
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Mrs. Graham wrote “Our Christmas Story,” “Sitting by My Laughing Fire,” “It's My Turn,” “The Legacy of a Pack Rat,” “Prodigals and Those Who Love Them,” “Clouds Are the Dust of His Feet,” “One Wintry Night,” “Coffee and Conversation with Ruth Bell Graham and Gigi Graham Tchividjian,” “Collected Poems,” “Mothers Together,” and “Prayers From A Mother’s Heart.” Mrs. Graham’s most recent books published in 2001 are, “Never Let It End: Poems of a Lifelong Love“ published by Baker Books, “Footprints of a Pilgrim: The Life and Loves of Ruth Bell Graham,” published by Word Publishing and “A Quiet Knowing,” published by W Publishing Group.
Early life
Ruth Graham was born at QingjiangQingjiang
The Qingjiang is a right tributary of the Yangtze Riveroriginating at Tenglong Cave near Lichuan City, Hubei, People's Republic of China. It is 423 kilometers long...
, Kiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, as Ruth McCue Bell. Her parents, Dr. L. Nelson Bell
L. Nelson Bell
Lemuel Nelson Bell was a medical missionary in China and the father-in-law of famous evangelist Billy Graham. Few people had more influence on Billy Graham than Bell. -Life:Bell was born in Longdale, Virginia...
and Virginia McCue Bell, were American medical missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
at the Presbyterian Hospital 300 miles north of Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. She grew up in China in a deeply religious household. Some of her early life in China is depicted in the biography of her father, a general surgeon, in "A Foreign Devil in China" (by John Charles Pollock, ISBN 0890661413).
Bell studied for three years at a high school in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, now in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, before graduating from a school in Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 696 in 2008. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, while her parents were on furlough
Furlough
In the United States a furlough is a temporary unpaid leave of some employees due to special needs of a company, which may be due to economic conditions at the specific employer or in the economy as a whole...
.
Married life
Ruth returned to the U.S. at the age of 17 in the fall of 1937, and enrolled at Wheaton CollegeWheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
, outside Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, where she met Graham. They married on August 13, 1943. In 1945, after a brief stint as a suburban pastor, her husband became an evangelist for Youth for Christ
Youth for Christ
Youth for Christ is the name of a number of previously unaffiliated evangelical Protestant religious campaigns which led to the creation of Youth for Christ International in 1946....
. The Grahams moved to Montreat near her parents where the Grahams continued to live for the rest of their married life. Despite Billy Graham being one of the world's most famous Baptists, his wife remained a Presbyterian and often taught Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
.
Between 1945 and 1958, Mrs. Graham gave birth to five children, whom she raised — sometimes single-handedly — while her husband was away on extended national and international evangelistic crusades. The three daughters and two sons who survive her are all actively involved in ministry, including eldest son Franklin
Franklin Graham
William Franklin Graham III , known publicly as Franklin Graham, is an American Christian evangelist and missionary. He is the president and CEO of both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse.He currently lives in Boone,...
, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) founded by his father.
Ministry
In 19591959 in literature
The year 1959 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*April 30 - Theatrical première of Bertolt Brecht's Saint Joan of the Stockyards, originally performed on radio in 1932....
, Mrs. Graham published her first book, Our Christmas Story, an illustrated volume for children. She went on to write or co-write 13 other books, many of them works of poetry she wrote as an emotional release while her husband was so often on the road through the years.
Mrs. Graham’s significant role in Billy Graham's ministry was recognized in 1996, when they were jointly awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in a special ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
Ruth Graham was always a vital part of Billy Graham’s evangelistic career, and he turned to her for advice and input about many ministry decisions. One of the early uses of media by the BGEA was the “Hour of Decision” radio program begun in 1950, which she named. After her upbringing in China and high school experience in Korea, she continued to have compassion for the people of Asia. She encouraged her husband to visit and later accompanied him during his historic visits to the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
Philanthropy
In 1966, she founded the Ruth and Billy Graham Children's Health Center in Asheville, North CarolinaAsheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, with which she was actively involved until her death.
Declining health and death
Ruth Graham had been in frail health since suffering spinal meningitisMeningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
in 1995. This was exacerbated by a degenerative osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion...
of the back and neck that began with a fall while testing a swing she made for her grandchildren in 1974 that resulted in chronic back pain for many years. During the final months of her life, Graham was bedridden and had contracted pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
The day before Ruth's death, Billy Graham released a statement through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association stating, "Ruth is my soul mate and best friend, and I cannot imagine living a single day without her by my side. I am more and more in love with her today than when we first met over 65 years ago as students at Wheaton College."
On Monday, June 11, at Ruth's request and subsequent to consultation with her family, she was removed from life support. On June 13, 2007, following her decline into a semi-coma, Billy Graham announced that he and his wife had decided to be buried beside each other at the Billy Graham Library
Billy Graham Library
The Billy Graham Library is a public museum and library documenting the life and ministry of Christian evangelist Billy Graham. The complex opened to the public on June 5, 2007. The library is located on the grounds of the international headquarters of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in...
in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. She died at 5:05 p.m. EDT June 14, 2007, at her home, Little Piney Cove, in Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat, North Carolina
Montreat is a town in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 696 in 2008. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, with her husband and five children at her bedside, just 4 days after her 87th birthday. A private ceremony followed by burial on the grounds of the Billy Graham Library
Billy Graham Library
The Billy Graham Library is a public museum and library documenting the life and ministry of Christian evangelist Billy Graham. The complex opened to the public on June 5, 2007. The library is located on the grounds of the international headquarters of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in...
was held on Sunday, June 17, 2007.
In a statement released from Wheaton College, Dr. Duane Litfin, president of the school, remarked, “Strong, steady, and dauntless, Ruth Bell Graham was the glue that held the many of the parts of their lives together.” Understanding the importance of his calling, Ruth joined Reverend Graham willingly in his ministry, though she preferred her role to be behind the scenes.