Ruth Marie Tow, a pioneer resident of Jefferson County, was born January 23, 1906, in Carthage, Mississippi, the daughter of Alonzo and Adelaide Murphy Langdon. She died October 5, 2004, in Waurika, Oklahoma. She came to Oklahoma as a young child, after living a few years in Mississippi and Texas. Marie married Floyd Tow in Terral Oklahoma, July 4, 1926. They farmed in Fleetwood, Terral, Ryan, Sugden and Waurika. In 1973, they retired from farming and moved into Waurika.

Floyd preceded her in death in February of 1986. Her parents and all her siblings preceded her also. A son, Maurice Tow, a granddaughter, Sabra Tow, a grandson, Cary Phelps, and a great-grandson, John Drier, also preceded her.

Marie joined the Methodist church as a young woman and was faithful in attendance. She enjoyed gardening, quilting, playing dominoes and forty-two, and making jams and jellies, which she entered in the fair each year. The remainder of the jams and jellies she gave to family members and friends. She belonged to the Banner Quilting Club, the UMW at her church, and loved to attend Senior Citizens luncheons each week. She was very thankful that her health allowed her to remain in her home until just a few months before she died.

Survivors include: four daughters - Don Ella and Duron Howard of Waurika, OK, Gwen and Bob Cox of Chickasha, OK, Peggy and Alton Phelps of Duncan, OK, and Phyllis Cogdill of Pea Ridge, AK; four sons - Dwayne and Betty Tow of Del City, OK, Larry and Lola Tow of Moore, OK, Jack and Betty Sue Tow of Marietta, OK, and Phillip and Gaye Nell Tow of Oklahoma City, OK; twenty-four grandchildren; forty-five great-grandchildren; and seven great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mrs. Tow were at 10:30 AM, Saturday, October 9, 2004, at the Waurika United Methodist Church with Reed Montgomery officiating. Burial was in the Waurika Cemetery under the direction of Dudley Funeral Home of Waurika.

Pallbearers were her grandsons.