Muriel Marie Bowerman and James Hiram Ranum

JAMES HIRAM RANUM was born January 21, 1925,⁴⁵⁶ and died December 17, 2001.⁴⁵⁶ He is buried in Blendon Central Cemetery, Westerville, Franklin, Ohio.⁴⁵⁶

He married MURIEL MARIE BOWERMAN on September 4, 1948 in Church of the Nazarene, Walla Walla, Walla Walla, Washington,⁷⁹⁰⁷ daughter of BERNICE BLAIR and HUGH CALDWELL BOWERMAN. She was born April 29, 1929 in Seattle, King, Washington,⁹⁸⁰⁷ and died November 22, 2021 in Dublin, Ohio.⁹⁸⁰⁷

Children of MURIEL MARIE BOWERMAN and JAMES HIRAM RANUM:

1. Daughter
2. Son
3. Daughter

Walla Walla Union Bulletin, September 10, 1948⁷⁹⁰⁷

Vows Said in Church Rites

When Miss Muriel Bowerman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Loy Roseboro of Walla Walla, became the bride of James H. Ranum, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Ranum of Valley City, N. D., at 8 o'clock last Saturday evening, the ceremony was performed by the Rev. J. Paul Downey in the Church of the Nazarene.

Pastel gladioli and greenery provided the setting and Mrs. Downey was at the organ console. W. C. Ebey of Seattle sang "At Dawning" and "Ich Liebe Dich" and Miss Eunice Lintz, "God Gave Me You" and "I Love You Truly."

Given in marriage by her stepfather, the bride was attractive in a gown of white satin with marquisette yoke, fitted bodice and slight train. Her veil was of fingertip length and she carried a shower bouquet of white roses.

Attendants in Organza

Miss Maxine Nelson of Spokane as maid of honor was gowned in peach organza embossed with white floral design. Bridesmaids were Miss Donna Ranum, sister of the bridegroom, and Miss Haroldine Howard of Portland, in aqua organza. They carried nosegays of gladioli and rose buds.

Gloria Henderson, as flower girl, wore a floor-length frock of yellow taffeta and carried a basket of pastel blossoms. Lighting the candles were Misses Jean Kirkpatrick and Anne Harold, both gowned in white.

Maurice Bowerman, brother of the bride, was best man for the bridegroom with Earl Barnum and Gayle Newell as his other attendants and Wallace and Stan Roseboro, Bill Butler and Bob Sporleder serving as ushers.

Mrs. Roseboro wore a two-piece aqua crepe gown and Mrs. Ranum was in a wine two-piece suit. Both had talisman rose corsages.

Reception Later

The reception was at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jess Hart on South Third Ave., where the serving table was arranged with a white lace cloth, centerpiece of pastel gladioli and tall white candles. The four-tiered cake was adorned with miniature bridal figurines. Mrs. Hart cut the cake and Mrs. Ross Richardson and Mrs. Milton Bowerman, aunt of the bride, poured. Miss Leneve Lindstrom had charge of the gifts and Miss Kirkpatrick the guest book.

The couple left Monday for Northwest Nazarene college at Nampa where they are both students. For travel, the bride wore a suit of dark brown gabardine with mocha accessories and beige and rose topper.

Out-of-town guests at the wedding were Mrs. E. G. Ranum and daughter, Donna, of Valley City, N. D., mother and sister of the bridegroom; Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Roseboro, Kansas City, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Ebey of Seattle; Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Bowerman, Mr. and Mrs. David Bowerman, Mrs. Hazel McDonald, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Haun and Bonnie, all of Portland; Mr. and Mrs. O. V. Myers of Medford, Ore.; and Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Ferris of Ritzville.

Daily Republic, June 12, 1968⁵⁵¹⁸

Meet Your Ministers Wives—

Mrs. James Ranum Plans Career in Social Work

"College age students tend to look at education more seriously than I did at their age. They are very careful in their chosen field of work. Many more of them are planning to go to graduate school and are concerned with political and economical involvement."

Impressive statement, isn't it. It was made by a college student. However, she's a rather unusual college student. Mrs. Muriel Ranum, wife of the Rev. James Ranum minister of the church of the Nazarene is a sociology major at Dakota Wesleyan University.

Mrs. Ranum, mother of three teen agers of her own — Kathleen, 18; Darrell, 15; and Marcia, 14 — seems very optimistic about her fellow students.

In addition to her roles of student, wife and mother, she is also a teacher. Private keyboard lessons on the piano and organ are given in her home. She also substitute teaches at local schools in music.

The Ranum family has been in Mitchell for six years. Prior to this, they had parishes in North Dakota, Madison, Wisc., and Eau Claire, Wisc.

Mrs. Ranum directs the adult choir at the church as well as teaching the adult Sunday school class. With the adult class she tries to bring a lesson from the scriptures down so that it may be made applicable to present day living.

As membership chairman for the Nazarene World Missionary Society, she works to help provide money for the establishment of missionaries of their denominations throughout the world.

In her role as a minister's wife, she enkjoys many duties that are not of a strictly religious nature. She serves on various committees and assists members of their parish in any way that she can — such as letting someone use her home to hold a bridal shower.

Student, wife, mother, teacher, committee woman — it's a busy life and a productive one.

Columbus Dispatch, December 1, 2021⁹⁸⁰⁷

Ranum, Muriel

1929 - 2021

Muriel Marie Bowerman Ranum, 92, passed away on November 22, 2021 in Dublin, Ohio. She was born on April 20, 1929 in Seattle, Washington to the late Hugh C. and Bernice Blair Bowerman. After high school, she attended Northwest Nazarene College and received her Bachelor of Arts from Dakota Wesleyan University. Throughout her career, Muriel worked as a social worker, piano teacher, and church organist. She attended and worked at Northwest Church of the Nazarene as an organist and a Sunday school teacher for teens and adults. Muriel was a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. She nurtured a loving and caring family that seeks to carry on her legacy. After her husband died in 2001, Muriel looked for ways to contribute to the lives of others. She began driving people with disabilities, the elderly, and people without transportation to doctors and other appointments. She was loved by many who were touched by her life. Muriel's caregivers knew of her compassionate nature, encouraging many through dark and difficult times, and recall the impact of her grace and warmth on their lives. Muriel is preceded in death by her husband Rev. James H. Ranum, parents, and brother Maurice Bowerman, MD. She is survived by her children, Kathleen R. (David) Speicher of Florissant, Missouri, Darrell B. (Barbara) Ranum of Dublin, Ohio, and Marcia R. (Dean) Nelson of San Diego, California; 11 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; 6 great-great grandchildren; and 4 nieces and nephews. Arrangements entrusted to Schoedinger Dublin. A memorial service will be planned at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lower Lights Christian Health Center, 160 W. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio 43222.