Inspire, Spring 2005

18 Spring 2005 B eing very content in the elementary classroom and looking forward to retirement in about 10 years, I was totally unprepared for the sudden turn my life took in January 2003. I was married April 21, 1973, to Gary Bosley — one year after graduating from Cedarville. Our entire married life seemed to be one big twist of either very high mountains or very low valleys. My husband suffered from severe medical problems, but nothing life-threatening. Due to the years of extra medical bills and his tenure on medical disability, I was accustomed to juggling several jobs. My schedule consisted of teaching school during the day and handling various after- school employment such as secretarial jobs, tutoring, or, in later years, directing a children’s ministry. I ran on high energy all the time, so this was no big deal. My abundant energy also got us through both of our sons’ high school and college years of basketball. Our younger son was a star player and ended up accepting a full-ride basketball scholarship at The Ohio State University. Of course, we were excited and never missed a home game. But his fame was short- lived when he “messed up” and lost his scholarship at the end of his freshman year. He immediately accepted a full-ride scholarship to the University of Akron, where he continued his basketball career. When both sons were finally through college, Gary and I thought, “Finally, we get to enjoy our life and look forward to doing what we want to do.” I planned to be quite content living a “low-profile life” and staying in my second grade classroom. But God had other plans. Near the end of January 2003, Gary was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of cancer. It was literally growing by the hour. On January 30, he was scheduled for surgery at the University of Cleveland Hospital. We found out that the cancer was stage four, and there was nothing the doctors could do. When Gary woke up from surgery on that cold January day, he told us he wasn’t going home anymore. He said he was going to heaven. During the next 10 days, Gary shared many spiritual truths and insights with our family. Since Gary was a mortician, he also gave me practical advice on how to handle arrangements in the days ahead. He wanted his service to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. After being in the University of Cleveland Hospital for a week, Gary was transferred to Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio. Three days later the Lord called him home to heaven. The Lord worked in my heart in an unusual way. I thought the basketball years were so hard. However, those years paled in comparison to going through the valley of losing my spouse, the dearest one on earth to me. After Gary’s funeral on February 15, the Lord started giving me a burden about a speaking ministry. In the days and weeks ahead, He laid it on my heart to go back to Aultman Hospital to work on the cancer floor. He put people in my path who made it possible for me to take pastoral training. I presently volunteer on the cancer floor each week as a candy lady, sharing treats and hope with each patient. I wasn’t sure how the Lord was going to use me as a speaker. One evening I prayed for the Lord to give me a sign that He really was calling me into a speaking ministry. The next day someone from pastoral ministries at Aultman Hospital called and asked me to share my experience with families of cancer patients at a workshop. I said I would be happy to speak, but I needed the freedom to talk from my heart. This meant I would be sharing my faith in Jesus Christ, because it was my faith that was seeing me through the difficult time of losing Gary. I was given permission to share “my story.” When I was introduced as a speaker, they stressed, “This is Ruthann’s story of how she is personally dealing with losing a spouse to cancer.” I spoke for 30 minutes, sharing Gary’s faith in Christ, my faith in Christ, and how that same faith is helping me to function and go on living. Since that night, various people started asking me to share my story with others. Then churches started calling me to speak. I knew the Lord was using Gary’s homegoing for His honor and glory as well as to reach others for His Kingdom. Not Me, Lord! R u t h a n n S t e y e r B o s l e y ’ 7 2 On January 1, 2003, Ruthann Steyer Bosley ’72 celebrated New Year’s Day with her husband, Gary, for the last time. Also shown here are (left) son John and his friend, Stacy, and (right) son Jami and his wife, Lori. Ruthann’s mother is seated in the foreground.