Elizabeth Ruth Livingstone Hancock

Elizabeth Ruth Livingstone (Sneddon) Hancock (78) passed away peacefully Saturday, August 1, 2020, at her home in Marion with her loving family at her bedside.

She was born August 3, 1941 in Marion, to Elizabeth Ruth (Livingstone) and Robert Sneddon, and for over 61 years, she was the loving wife of Dr. Joseph ‘Ray’ Hancock of Marion, who survives.

Her family was her greatest joy and accomplishment in life. She was the loving and devoted mother to two sons, Dr. Barry Ray Hancock, and wife Jennifer, of Marion; and Captain Daryl Robert Hancock, U.S. Navy (Retired), and wife Mary Colleen, of Collinsville. She was the proud and adoring ‘grandmom’ to their children, Andrew Ray Hancock, and girlfriend Lori Johnson of Marion, Lieutenant Aaron Joseph Livingstone Hancock, MD, U.S. Navy, and his fiancé Lacey Rokita, Ethan Robert Hancock of Indianapolis, Indiana, Elizabeth Rose (Hancock) and husband, Jon Henning of League City, Texas. Also surviving are her niece Cathy (Issler), and husband John Kigin, of Terre Haute, IN, and nephew Ron Issler, and husband Stuart Nettles, of Metairie, LA.

Elizabeth Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Jessie Irene (Sneddon) Issler Simmons, and great-granddaughter, Isla Rose Henning.

Elizabeth Ruth attended Lincoln grade school and graduated from Marion High School in 1958. She is a graduate of John A. Logan College and several banking schools.  She met Joseph Ray Hancock in the summer of 1958 on a blind date, and they were married on September 4, 1959, by Reverend Lee Swope in First Baptist Church of Marion where her Sneddon family had attended since immigrating from Scotland in the early 1900’s.  E. Ruth and Ray were married for over 61 years. She was proud of her Scottish history and made numerous trips to Scotland to visit family and friends. Her family ran Sneddon’s Confectionary and Bakery in Cardenden, Scotland, and she was well known for making shortbread from the family recipe. Her greatest life achievement was her family and she loved them more than anything else in life.

As a mother, she was blessed to stay at home and raise her children and in the community she served as a Cub Scout Leader, an officer in Delta Theta Tau Sorority, and a member of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons Marion advisory committee.  She participated in many American Heart Association community fundraising campaigns and was active in both professional and social activities at Bank of Marion, Peoples Bank of Marion, and Marion branch of U. S. Bank, where she retired in 1996.

She also played a critical supporting role throughout her husbands career with the Marion Recreation Department, Marion High School, the Marion Youth Baseball, USS John A Bole (DD-755) Association, Illinois Community College Foundation, and as First Lady of John A. Logan College for over 11 years.  Elizabeth Ruth Hancock leaves a legacy of community service, solid professional contributions, and her greatest legacy: her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild.   

Private funeral services will be held at Marion 1^st Baptist Church with Dr Bob Dickerson officiating.  Public graveside services will be held at Noon on Thursday, August 6, 2020 at Rose Hill Cemetery.  Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 5 – 8 pm at Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home in Marion.

Due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 virus, social distancing is advised and the wearing of masks is encouraged.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Elizabeth Ruth’s name to support the startup of a foundation in memory of her great-granddaughter, the Isla Rose Memorial Fund, the Hancock Memorial Scholarship at John A. Logan College, or Hospice of Southern Illinois. Checks can be made out to any of those memorials and can be sent to: Mitchell-Hughes Funeral Home, 800 North Market Street, Marion, IL 62959.

Thursday morning, August 6^th beginning at 10:50 the services for Elizabeth Ruth Livingstone Hancock will be livestreamed from the First Baptist Church in Marion, Illinois.  We invite you to access the service by going to youtube.com and typing in First Baptist Church, Marion, Illinois