--- title: Abundant Aging - Center for Abundant Aging | Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald description: Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald served in parish ministry for nine years before being called into conference ministry as Area Minister for the Grand West Association in Michigan. She retired in 2023 from that position. Ruth served on the community board for Pilgrim Manor, then a United Church Homes community, and has been an active board member for the Fountain Hill Center for Counseling and Care, and Ele's Place--West Michigan (a healing center for grieving children and teens) all in Grand Rapids. Ruth has two grown children and three precious grandchildren. Travel, hiking, knitting, and reading fill her “spare” time. --- [![Center for Abundant Aging](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/uploads/uch-logo-200x84.png "Center for Abundant Aging")](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center) [Back to United Church Homes](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. - [Educational Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/clinical-pastoral-education-cpe/) - [Quellhorst Endowment Fund](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/quellhorst-scholars/) - [High School Community Service Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/high-school-community-service-opportunities/) - [Internships-Undergraduate and Graduate](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/internships-undergraduate-and-graduate/) - [Research Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/research-opportunities/) - Engagement with Congregations - [Resources for Worship and Reflection](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/resources-for-worship-and-reflection/) - [Age-Friendly Congregations](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/age-friendly-congregations/) - [Church Resources](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/church-resources/) - [About the Center](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Meet Rev. Beth Long-Higgins](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/meet-rev-beth-long-higgins/) - [Advisory Committee](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/advisory-committee/) - [Press Releases](https://www.abundantaging.org/category/press-releases/) - [Contact the Center](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/contact/) # About Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald served in parish ministry for nine years before being called into conference ministry as Area Minister for the Grand West Association in Michigan. She retired in 2023 from that position. Ruth served on the community board for Pilgrim Manor, then a United Church Homes community, and has been an active board member for the Fountain Hill Center for Counseling and Care, and Ele's Place--West Michigan (a healing center for grieving children and teens) all in Grand Rapids. Ruth has two grown children and three precious grandchildren. Travel, hiking, knitting, and reading fill her “spare” time. ## Recent Blog Posts ### Each Generation Calls to the Next By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  July 03, 2025 In this new season of life—early into retirement with grown adult children fully into charting their careers and raising children, I’ve found myself reviewing my own.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/each-generation-calls-to-the-next) ### Hope Does Not Disappoint By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  March 13, 2025 A few weeks ago, fellow blogger, John Gantt, wrote these words connecting the “four Cs” of this season’s theme. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/hope-does-not-disappoint) ### Remembering While We Wait By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  December 05, 2024 When I went to seminary in my forties, I learned the pure pleasure and joy of studying scripture with my heart wide open. I read the familiar passages, and I surely.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/remembering-while-we-wait) ### Living with Purpose After Your Primary Career By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  September 26, 2024 Truth be told, I’ve had real difficulty writing this blog post. In fact, even though I’m a procrastinator by nature and always push a deadline, I had to ask for an.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/living-with-purpose-after-your-primary-career) ### I Remember By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  June 20, 2024 [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/i-remember) ### Mortality Thoughts By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  April 11, 2024 My husband died in 2004 when he was just 49 years old. Since then, I think I’ve had more than my share of “mortality thoughts,” the theme of this series of blog posts... [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/mortality-thoughts) ### What’s Your Favorite Color? By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  January 25, 2024 The view from my window for about the past week has been white—snow-covered. I guess, really, it’s been grey; grey skies, grey light, grey trees. Grey. But, this storm.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/whats-your-favorite-color) ### Unexpected Clarity…Maybe! By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  May 04, 2023 My mother was a professor of clothing and textiles at Wayne State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree at that school and then went on to earn a master’s degree at.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/unexpected-clarity-maybe) ### Walk On By Rev. Ruth D. Fitzgerald  •  March 16, 2023 Over the past year or so I’ve been in a time of discernment. It has been my experience that these times of anticipating transition or finding a new path in life are not.. [Read More](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/walk-on) [\< Previous](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/0) [1](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org) [2](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/2) [3](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/3) [4](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/4) [5](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/5) [Next \>](https://blog.unitedchurchhomes.org/author/rev-ruth-fitzgerald/page/2) [![Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/uploads/UCH_RFPCAA_Horiz_4c-1-1.png "Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging")](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/the-center-for-abundant-aging/) #### Educational Opportunities - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/) - [Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/clinical-pastoral-education-cpe/) - [Quellhorst Endowment Fund](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/quellhorst-scholars/) - [High School Community Service Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/high-school-community-service-opportunities/) - [Internship-Undergraduate and Graduate](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/internships-undergraduate-and-graduate/) - [Research Opportunities](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/educational-opportunities/research-opportunities/) #### Engagement with Congregations - [Resources for Worship and Reflection](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/resources-for-worship-and-reflection/) - [Age-Friendly Congregations](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/age-friendly-congregations/) - [Church Resources](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/church-resources/) #### About the Center - [Overview](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/about-the-center/) - [Meet Rev. Beth Long-Higgins](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/meet-rev-beth-long-higgins/) - [Advisory Committee](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/parker-center/advisory-committee/) - [Press Releases](https://www.abundantaging.org/category/press-releases/) Standards of Conduct [United Church Homes, Inc. (UCH) complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude or treat people different because of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, disability, genetic information or ancestry. Spanish: Chinese: German: Arabic: Pennsylvanian Dutch: Russian: French: Vietnamese: Korean: Italian: Japanese: Dutch: Ukrainian: Romanian: Albanian: Korean: Bengali: Polish: Tagalong.](https://www.unitedchurchhomes.org/wp-content/themes/uch-theme/assets/pdf/UCH-Discrimination-Policy.pdf) © 2026 United Church Homes, Inc. All Rights Reserved.