Ruth Elizabeth Linger, of Front Royal, Virginia passed away on Saturday, November 27, 2021, at Winchester Medical Center.

She was born the 30th day of August 1937 in Mammoth, West Virginia, the daughter of the late James H. and Rhoda Stockwell Johnston.

Visitation will take place Friday, December 10th from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal. The funeral will be conducted on Saturday, December 11th at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Jim Bunce officiating. Entombment will follow at Panorama Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Linger graduated from Walton High School in Roane County West Virginia in 1956 and married Louis W. Linger shortly thereafter. Her high school activities included membership in 4-H Club and student government. Her life in West Virginia consisted primarily of raising her four children and supporting her husband’s football and basketball coaching endeavors.

In 1967 Ruth enrolled into newly formed ECPI (Electronic Computer Programing Institute). In 1969 she became one of the first women to complete ECPI Control Panel Wiring- Tabulating Computer Programming certification.

She and her family moved to Front Royal, Virginia in 1971 where she provided childcare for hundreds of children in Warren County over several decades. And she considered all of them “her kids” and still received letters, calls, and visits from many of them. She worked with local churches and elementary schools, social services and LFCC to help develop childcare into the Preschool models used today.

Ruth was a member of Marlow Heights Baptist Church where she attended regularly until her health prevented it.
Mrs. Linger was an avid sports fan, and her favorite sport was football. She was often found decked out in her Washington or West Virginia University gear on fall weekends. Ruth also spent many years in the bleachers of numerous athletic events as a coach’s wife, a football, basketball, and baseball mom, and a cheerleader mom.
Ruth enjoyed many activities including selling Queen’s Way to Fashion, ceramics, taking ballet and tap-dancing lessons and preforming in a couple of recitals, and taking a childhood development class at Lord Fairfax Community College. Ruth especially enjoyed the company of her cats and was often found with at least with one on her lap. She also traveled with her sons to places such as New York City, Mexico, and New England.

Ruth, along with Louis, spent many weekends with their grandchildren camping and playing at Kings Dominion. Her grandchildren would now declare that it can’t be camping unless ice cream lights are strung across the canopy. She made a connection with each of her grandchildren that was special and unique to each.

Ruth was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, Louis W. Linger; her brother, Joseph Ellison; and her sister Leona Cundiff.

She is survived by her sister Iris Brisendine and brothers James Johnston, Michael Johnston, Ray Johnston, and Gay Johnston; sons, Wade Linger, John Linger, Henry Linger, and daughter Kimberly Brooks. She is also survived by grandchildren, Rhoda Martin, Robert Linger, Benn Linger, David Linger, Daniel Westerfield, John Linger, Jr., Matthew Linger, Christopher Linger, Brian Linger, Heather Wilson, Kevin Linger, Amanda Bass, and Blake Brooks. She has eleven great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice.