Ruth Bickett Childhood
Ruth Gertrude Bickett was born December 23, 1916, in Yellow Springs, Greene Co., OH, and died February 5, 1987, at Watertown Memorial Hospital, Watertown, Dodge Co., WI, at age 70. Inurnment in Sunland Memorial Park, Sun City, Maricopa Co., AZ. She is the daughter of LeRoy McVey Bickett of Xenia Twp., Greene Co., OH, and Gertrude Pearl Patricia Baker of Yellow Springs, Greene Co., OH.
Gertrude and Ruth Bickett, Village of Yellow Springs, Greene Co., OH, 1917.
Gertrude (Baker) Bickett, and daughters, Helen and Ruth Bickett, photos taken at the Burnam Studio, Mitchell Building, Springfield, OH, 1917.
Ruth and Helen Bickett, about 1919.
Helen, Roy and Ruth Bickett at the beach, 1919.
Helen and Roy Bickett at the beach, 1919.
Helen Bickett at the beach, 1919.
Helen Bickett at the beach, 1919.
Helen Bickett at the beach, 1919.
Helen Bickett at the beach, 1919.
Helen, Ruth and Gertrude Bickett at the beach, 1919.
Ruth Bickett at the beach with a bladder from a punching bag, 1919. This item was probably manufactured at the Petley Rubber Co. in Milwaukee, WI.
Helen Bickett and Ruth Bickett at the Bickett residence, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, about 1923.
Ruth Bickett, Jean Chapman, Helen Bickett, Bobby Chapman, and Roy Bickett, Bickett residence, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, about 1923. Picture courtesy of John Willoughby Chapman.
Ruth Bickett and friend, probably Mary Celeste Hawkins, Bickett residence, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, about 1925.
"To Ruth Bickett. My birthday party is on June 6, 1928 - 12 years old. Hope you like it. Merry Xmas. From Mary Hawkins." Ruth Bickett (age 11) is on the far left. This picture was taken in front of the Hawkins residence in Watertown. The 1930 U. S. Census shows the Kenneth Hawkins family is living at 1010 8th Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI. He is a Bee Ware Factory Sales Manager. Mary Celeste Hawkins was born June 6, 1916, in Aurora, Du Page Co., IL, and died December 19, 1996, in Cedarburg, Ozaukee Co., WI, at age 80. She is the daughter of Kennith Hawkins of Plainfield, Will Co., IL, and Mary Hilda Zidek of North Dakota. She married Kenneth Joseph Rhodes May 14, 1940, in Fort Atkinson, Jefferson Co., WI. Kenneth Joseph Rhodes was born February 11, 1911, in Watertown, Dodge Co., WI, and died January 25, 1981, at the home of a son, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., WI, at age 69.
Ruth Bickett and her 7th Grade School Classmates, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, 1929.
Ruth Bickett and her 8th Grade School Classmates, Watertown, WI, 1930.
Ruth Gertrude Bickett, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, about 1933.
Ruth Bickett in her Art Institute costume, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, 1933.
The 1933 "Orbit" contained this snippet:
The Art Institute
The Art Institute committee was indeed wise... or otherwise... in choosing Watertown to send its contributions of art to the World's Fair. Many students spent long hours (class periods if possible) posing for the great masters. We are about to enter the holy of holies wherein our gems of art are on exhibition. XXXXXXXX. Next we have three gentle maids (Meyers, Bickett, and Steffen) dancers extraordinary, who have interpreted the Terpsichorean art for us. The are tripping the light and fantastic with feet on the ground and heads in the clouds. Don't hit the ceiling, girls.
Leigh Larson note: Terpsichorean art is the art of dancing. The 1933 World's Fair held May 27, 1933, to November 1, 1933, in Chicago, Cook Co., IL, was "A Century of Progress International Exposition."
Ruth Bickett
and High School Group Picture, Watertown High School, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, about 1934.
Ruth Bickett and friends, about 1934
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Ruth Gertrude Bickett graduated from Watertown High School, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, in the Class of 1934. She sang a duet with her classmate at the graduation ceremonies.
Ruth Gertrude Bickett, ca. 1935.
Ruth Gertrude Bickett, about 1935.
The Milwaukee Journal, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Co., WI, Sunday, December 15, 1935
University Crowd and Madison Townspeople in Midst of Busy Season
TWENTY-FIVE of the most beautiful young women at the University of Wisconsin have been selected by their sororities and dormitories as candidates in the annual Badger beauty contest sponsored by the university yearbook. Some of the candidates are pictured here. From the entire list six girls will be chosen as final Badger beauties by Max Factor, Hollywood cosmetician, and George Petty, Esquire and cigarette advertisement artist. The winners will be pictured in this year's Badger. In the group here are (left to right) Mary Belle Lawton of Brodhead, the candidate of Gamma Phi Beta; Mary Lou Montgomery of Milwaukee, Kappa Alpha Theta; Ruth Bickett of Watertown, Alpha Gamma Delta; Gretchen Schmidt, Wauwatosa, Delta Zeta, and Grace Carlson, Sheboygan,, Langdon Hall. (Photoart Studio Photos, Madison)
Ruth G. Bickett furnished the
Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity with her UW Madison Activities Record, 1935.
Ruth Bickett, about 1936.
The Galveston Coastal News, Galveston, Galveston Co., TX, Friday, June 25, 1937
To the right are a group of visitors from Wisconsin, who have been spending the week here as the guests of Mrs. W. J. Chapman and daughter, Miss Jean Chapman. Miss Ruth Bickett, standing, and Miss Helen Bickett, seated on the top step, are the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Bickett of Watertown, Wis., and the nieces of Mrs. Chapman. They were accompanied by Miss Doris Kaddatz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Kaddatz, of Watertown, who is seated on the lowest step. Miss Chapman who is pictured with the group will accompany them when they leave. They will spend a few days in New Orleans before returning home.
Victor George Edward "Vic" Fiegel (age 28), a bachelor, and Helen Means Bickett (age 26), a maiden, were married October 16, 1938, in the City of Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI.
Helen Means Bickett, in her wedding dress, with her sister, Ruth Gertrude Bickett, Bickett residence, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, at the time of Helen's wedding, October 16, 1938.
Ruth and Helen Bickett, and two others, all smoking! Bickett residence, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, at the time of Helen's wedding, October 16, 1938.
Bickett residence, 700 Clyman Street, Watertown, Jefferson Co., WI, about 1940.
Wilbur Almo "Bill" Larson (age 26), a bachelor, and Ruth Gertrude Bickett (age 23), a maiden, eloped, and were married March 2, 1940, in Dubuque, Dubuque Co., IA.