Ruth Elizabeth Becker
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Ruth Elizabeth Becker (28 October 1899- 6 July 1990) was a Kansas school teacher best known for surviving the sinking of the RMS Titanic when she was only twelve. She boarded the Titanic at Southampton, England and was traveling 2nd Class with her mother Nellie, four year old sister Marion, and one year old brother Richard. They were returning to the United States after living in India with Ruth's father, a missionary. They were forced to seek treatment in the United States for young Richard, who had contracted an illness in India.
After the Titanic collided with an iceberg and began to sink the Beckers hurried up to the boat deck in search of a lifeboat. While the boats were being loaded a steward placed Richard and Marion in one of the boats (#11), and then said "Well that's all for this boat!", at which Nellie pleaded to be allowed in as well, saying "Please let me in this boat! Those are my children!" She was allowed in but Ruth was left on the Titanic, at which point Nellie screamed "Ruth! Get in another boat!!". Ruth eventually got into Lifeboat #13.
In the years after the disaster she refused to talk about the Titanic, and her own children, when young, did not know that she had been on board. However, after her retirement, when she was living in Santa Barbara, California she began speaking about it, granting interviews and attending conventions of the Titanic Historical Society. In March of 1990, she made her first sea voyage since 1912, a cruise to Mexico. She died later that year at the age of ninety. Her ashes were scattered over the spot where the Titanic lies.
