Spring 08
Vol. 15/ No. 1

Humanitarian

Ruth Ann Kroth
BSN 1958, MSN 1978

The life we build can be compared to buildings built in our communities. These solid structures define the very landscape – just as there are individuals who shape us as well.

Ruth Ann Kroth, BSN '58, MS '78, constructed a life that truly shaped the lives of those around her. As a woman of great faith, her passion for nursing became the foundation on which each of her humanitarian tasks were laid.

Nursing wasn't a job or career for Kroth, it was her calling. However in the early 50s, she made a pivotal decision that shaped the course of her life. She listened to her heart and committed to the missionary work she had contemplated for years.

In 1953, she accepted a three-year assignment with the Presbyterian Mission in Assiut, Egypt, to teach nursing. The language barrier and cultural differences made the educational experience a real challenge for both teacher and students. However, this experience prepared her for her future years as a teacher and counselor.

Her trip down the Nile also led her to Earl Kroth, an agriculturist at the same mission. They married in 1956 and moved to Columbia where Earl accepted a position at the University of Missouri. Kroth settled into both an educational program, obtaining both a BSN and a MS in education, and a career as a nursing instructor at the School.

As an instructor, Kroth did the same things for her American charges as she did for her Egyptian students. She reached out and helped them achieve their goals. She supported their research efforts, answered questions, attended graduations and became family for those away from home.

“Ruth Ann was such a positive role model for us,” says a former student Jean Thompson. “She made you feel that you were in her nurturing care and would do well as a result of her decisions and actions. She was my favorite nursing instructor.”

After 20 years of teaching, the Kroths had an opportunity to give back to the same area in which they met. They accepted a 3-month assignment with Project Hope to return to Assiut. Kroth assisted with the development of a new baccalaureate program for the School of Nursing . “I was both excited and curious to be going back to Assiut and see how things had changed in the 20 years I've been gone,” Kroth says. The mission hospital was closed, but she could see the strides health care had made.

In 1985, Kroth retired from the School allowing her the time to travel with Earl. She remains active in her church and service to others.

“Ruth is surrounded by the deeds that started many years ago as she traveled down the Nile River. The ‘pebble' continues to make ripples in the ponds of life,” says Karen Metcalf, the women's moderator at the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Mo.

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