Ruthie Jane Bottiger, age 75, passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 20, 2026, in Aberdeen, Maryland.

Born in Santa Rita, New Mexico, Ruthie was the beloved daughter of the late Charles Calvin Bowden and the late Dora Fay (Walston) Bowden.

Ruthie spent much of her early life in New Mexico with her grandparents on their small agricultural farm. Growing up in a rural area, she discovered her lifelong love of reading, a passion she carried with her throughout her life. After marrying her beloved husband, Jerold “Jerry” Roy Bottiger, Ruthie and Jerry enrolled at Texas A&M University, where she held a variety of jobs while working toward graduation. She earned a Master’s degree in English Literature and made lifelong friends during her years there who will miss her dearly.

Ruthie and Jerry were married for 56 years. In 1981, they moved to Aberdeen where they continued raising their family. Ruthie began her career at Harford Community College, where she taught theater to children and English as a second language to adult students. To her budding thespians she was known as “Miss Ruthie”, a moniker so well suited to her warm personality that it became her name among adult acquaintances too. In ESL classes and activities she especially loved teaching English to immigrants, helping them not only learn our language but also understand life in America and prepare for citizenship.

Ruthie retired when the COVID-19 pandemic began. She later devoted her time to volunteering with the Havre de Grace Housing Authority, where she managed the food pantry at one of its sites. She continued this meaningful work until her illness made it too difficult to continue.

Ruthie took great pride in making her house a true home. She had a talent for decorating and gardening and cared deeply about the beauty and comfort of the place where she lived. Her love of reading, teaching, gardening, and helping others reflected her thoughtful and caring nature. She was a kind woman, sensitive to distress in others and always anxious to help.

In addition to her parents, Ruthie was preceded in death by her brother, Mike Bowden.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 56 years, Jerold Bottiger; her sons, Maxwell Bottiger and Whitman Bottiger; her grandchildren, Emerson Bottiger and Charles Bottiger; her sisters, Linda Bowden-Enlow and Candice Bowden-McCrohan; and many extended family members, friends, former students, and colleagues who will cherish her memory.