Ruth Heller, a longtime Chicago resident who celebrated her 100th birthday last June, died of a heart attack Tuesday in St. Joseph Health Centers and Hospital. The native of Glasgow, Scotland, moved to Iowa with her parents in 1900 and by her first year of school the family had settled in Chicago. In 1918, she married Arthur Heller, the start of a 52-year union that lasted until his death at 75. She worked much of her life, recalled her son Arthur, who said she started in retail as a sales clerk when she was just 13 and was promoted to credit manager by the time she was 16. Later, she worked in her husband’s clothing business. Then, in her 50s Mrs. Heller decided to become a real estate broker and was one of the first women on the Chicago Real Estate Board. She did volunteer work with the Michael Reese Thrift Shop until its closure and also worked with the Organization for Rehabilitation and Training, a charity for orphans. In addition to her son, Mrs. Heller is survived by two daughters, Lois Lebo and Muriel Altschuler; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Services were held Thursday.
