Ruth Ella Quarles was born April 16, 1929 to Charles and Betty Jones Fike in Coraopolis, PA. She was raised in Coraopolis and graduated from Moon Township High School in 1946. Moving to Pasadena, California, she entered Pasadena (Nazarene) College and received a B.A. in Church Music in 1951. Ruth was employed as a bookkeeper before entering the U.S. Army in 1954, serving in the W.A.C. Band in Alabama. It was during this time that she met and married Harold Quarles in 1956. They moved to California following the marriage, and three children were born to this union -- a girl, Teresa, and twin boys, Donald and Ronald. In 1962, Ruth and Harold entered the ministry of the Church of the Nazarene, pastoring in Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado and Texas, among which was Midland First Church for 13 years. Ruth served as a church pianist or organist since 1947. She was active in the college choir, band and orchestra. In 1974, she became a piano technician, being active in this profession since that time.

Her parents preceded Ruth in death. She is survived by her husband, Harold Quarles of Midland, her sons; Donald Lee Quarles of Arlington, Texas and Ronald Lee Quarles and his wife, Diane of Santa Fe, New Mexico; her daughter, Teresa (Terri) Ballew and her husband, Steve of Odessa; one brother, Frederick F. Fike and his wife, Octava of Amarillo, and two sisters; Evelyn L. Price and her husband, John of Mendon, OH and Mary Jane Caufield and her husband, Cliff of Hemet, CA. Her five grandchildren; Michael Ballew and his wife, Andrea, Keri Ballew, Scott Ballew, Will Vague and Samantha Quarles; and five nieces and four nephews also survive her.