Ruth Elizabeth (Kreider) Landis

Ruth Elizabeth Kreider was born into the Ethan Kreider family on November 17, 1928. I was the first granddaughter of Henry and Katie Kreider. My family lived on Main Street in Campbelltown, next door to my grandparents who had moved from their nearby farm into town. I was growing up with four brothers when at the age of twelve I received a little sister, Marian Faithe, whom I enjoyed mothering. Our dad was cashier of the Campbelltown Bank, so he was well-known and liked in the community. He was a good storyteller, and entertained his children with stories of his childhood and tales of other relatives. Father loved music; and since he was a song-leader at the Palmyra Brethren in Christ Church, he would often play the piano and practice singing the hymns around the house. On school days when Father was at the bank and the weather was bad, Grandpa Kreider would meet us at school with the car, and we would pile it full with our family and other walkers. I also remember how we children took turns going door-to-door selling potato chips made by our cousin, Ira Basehore.

After attending Campbelltown Elementary School, Hershey High School and Messiah Academy in Grantham, Pa., I graduated in 1946. At the age of 12, I had accepted the Lord Jesus into my life while attending a Grantham Youth Conference. I was baptized several years later by my Uncle Titus Books, who was the bishop of the district. My faith was nurtured by regular attendance at the Palmyra Brethren in Christ Church.

Following my high school graduation, I worked for a year and then enrolled in a three-year nursing program at Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster, Pa. I was employed at Hershey Hospital as a registered nurse, when I received a call from Messiah College inviting me to become the college nurse and continue studies toward a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. I accepted, and in 1957 I completed my studies and received my degree.

While at Messiah, I met and married Howard Landis. We moved to Greenville College, Illinois, and then to Pa. State University for Howard's further studies; then we returned to Messiah College for the teaching position which awaited him there. Since that time our home has been in Grantham, Pa.

Our family was blessed with two little sons who came to us by adoption. Brian Keith (born June 10, 1964) was already a big baby when he joined our family as a five-month-old, and he grew to be six feet, four inches tall! He excelled in basketball and baseball. At age 26 he married Lisa Zimmerman from Mechanicsburg, and their two sons are Zachary and Daulton. Brian presently works for a large construction company in Dillsburg as a carpenter.

Eric Todd Landis (born September 14, 1966), became ours also at age five months. Cute, blue-eyed and curly-haired, he had an insatiable curiosity. He took everything apart that he could lay hands upon, and somehow knew how to put it all together again. Now he is the ultimate Mr. Fix-It at the motel where he works. Not yet married, he loves children, and enjoys all kinds of animals.

Howard and I have done a lot of traveling. In 1981, Howard took a sabbatical leave from teaching, and we planned a trip the whole family could share: we took the boys with us to Cyprus and Zambia for almost a year. That was a highlight experience we won't soon forget!