Ruth Frederick (Hartman) Willistein, 101, died May 1, 2018, at The Phoebe Home, Allentown. She was married for 48 years to Paul August Willistein Sr., who died May 1, 1991, at 85.

Born in Allentown, she was a daughter of the late Harvey Phaon Hartman and Minnie Frederick Hartman, of Fullerton, Whitehall Township.

She was a graduate of Whitehall High School, Class of 1934.

Ruth was owner-operator of Wayside Flower Shop, Bethlehem; managed Bookman’s Book Store, Allentown, and was a governess in Philadelphia and Ocean City, N.J.

She was a member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Allentown, and, previously, St. Paul’s “Blue” Church, Coopersburg, and St. John’s Lutheran Church, Fullerton, where she was in charge of the infant department.

Ruth enjoyed gardening, reading, needlepoint, playing the piano, trying new recipes for family and friends and listening to opera and classical music. Ruth and her husband enjoyed attending musicals, travel and wintering in Florida.

She volunteered at Lehigh County Historical Society. She was a steadfast voter, with a registration card issued in 1936.

She celebrated her 80th birthday with a train trip to New York City for lunch at the Palm Court in the Plaza Hotel and celebrated her 100th birthday with a Sunday brunch for family and friends at Hotel Bethlehem.

She is survived by a son, Paul, of Allentown, with whom she resided for 13 years; a daughter, Alice Uhl, of Fountain Hill; three nieces, Christine Lewis, of Thomasville, Ga., Karen Martin, of Columbus, Ohio, and Donna Hartman-Bauer, of Akron, Ohio; three grandchildren, Brenda Eichelberg, of Bristol, Wis., Brian Uhl, of Allentown and Elias Hasenecz, of Iowa City, Iowa; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Louise Hartman Nielsen; and two brothers, Harvey and Earl Hartman.

Contributions may be made to the charity of your choice in Ruth’s name.

Arrangements were made by J.S. Burkholder Funeral Home.