Ruth Elizabeth Becker

Ruth Becker

This is the tale of Ruth Becker and how she would have put it:
It was April 10, 1912, my mother struggling not to lose Richard or Marion, as for the sea of people, as we set forth to the grand ship, R.M.S. Titanic. I was very excited, partly because I was traveling 2nd class, and because I was finally going to sea America! “Ruth! Get your ticket ready!” My mother told me. “It cost me £39!” My ticket number was 230136. “Ticket please.” The steward held out his hand. “Thank you. Your cabin is number F-4. Can you find it?” He asked me. I nodded yes. As soon as we got in our cabin, I asked mother if I could go and look around. “Be back by noon, sailing time.” Mother told me as I was walking out the door.

Everything was new! The dishes were new, everything!! I was terribly excited! I looked at the clock. 11:58! Goodness! Mother must be wondering where I am. On the Boat Deck, I waved to everyone who had gathered to bid farewell.

“Goodnight Ruth. See you in the morning.” I was asleep in minutes. The engines hum, and the smoothness were soothing. It was 4 nights later. RATTLERATTLERATTLE. The Titanic seemed if it were going over marbles. Mother was in the hall, asking a steward what had happened. “Nothing much. We shall be going in a moment.” A while later, a steward knocked on the door. “Come in!” Mother yelled. He opened the door. “Put your lifebelts on and report to the Boat Deck quickly.” He spoke quickly and had much fear in his eyes. “Just a drill.” I helped mother get Richard and Marion dressed. In all the hurry, we forgot our lifebelts! On the Boat Deck, Richard and Marion were lifted into a lifeboat. “That’s all for this boat! Lower away!” The officer shouted. “Wait! That’s my children! Please, let me go with my children!” I watched as mother got into the lifeboat. I was clutching the blankets that mother had sent me to get. “Ruth! Get into a lifeboat!” Mother shouted to me. “May I get in the lifeboat?” I asked. “Sure.” The officer lifted me in. “Lower away!” He shouted. It was so crowded, I had to stand. I looked up. Boat No. 15 was coming down on us! We were all shouting for them to stop. But of course, they couldn’t hear us. Someone in our boat had a knife and cut us away just in time. It took what felt like forever before we reached the Carpathia, our rescue ship. On the ship, someone came up to me and asked me, “Are you Ruth Becker?” I nodded yes. “Come with me.” We went into a room and mother, Richard and Marion were there! A few days later, on the pier, reporters were everywhere! “Don’t ask me anything. Ruth will tell you.” My mother said.

After the Titanic adventure,
my family and I moved to Benton Harbour, Michigan. Ruth never went on another boat until March of 1990, a cruise to Mexico with a good friend, Don Lynch. She died later in the year on July 6, 1990 at 9:00 a.m. Ruth was 90 when she died. Her ashes were scattered on the spot where the Titanic sank. Even though she died, her spirit and braveness will never be forgotten.