Carol Irene (Middlecamp, Beggs) Ruster, age 96, ran into the arms of Jesus, Tuesday, November 25. She was born February 26, 1929, a few months before the Great Depression began, to Bert and Mary (Greeno) Middlecamp. Carol attended Batten Public School and Cartwright Public School of the New Era area as a young girl and then attended Muskegon Central Campus in Muskegon during her teenage years.
Carol married Loren Joseph Beggs, May 6, 1955. They raised three children during their 24 years of marriage, while residing in Mears, Michigan. Later she married Williard Ruster of Grand Haven and lived there for 31 years.
Carol began working while in school at WT Grants Dime Store on Western Avenue in Muskegon, Michigan. She also worked at General Telephone Company in Hart, Michigan; Shelby State Bank, Shelby, Michigan; and retired from Powers Clothing Store in Hart, Michigan, after working there 12 years.
At the age of 78, Carol visited Lily of the Valley Orphanage in Chihuahua, Mexico with her daughter-in-law, Linda Beggs, and they ate and slept with orphans for one week. Her heart broke for the children, and God renewed a passion in her to help others. Carol donated many hours while volunteering at First Reformed Church of Grand Haven, Michigan; International Aid in Spring Lake, Michigan; and Love INC of Grand Haven, Michigan.
Carol loved Jesus and enjoyed faithfully attending her Bible study group for 11 years in Grand Haven, Michigan. It was during these years that she knitted many prayer shawls for the elderly, crocheted hundreds and hundreds of hats for the children and staff at the orphanage in Mexico and local school children who needed hats in the United States. She was also involved in making quilts for the less fortunate. Carol’s hobbies included gardening, feeding the birds, reading, playing table games, going to yard sales and spending time with her dog, Pepper.
Carol is survived by: her children, Dianna Yavonne (Wayne) Fuller and Gary Loren (Linda) Beggs; daughter-in-law, Sonya Beggs; nine grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Carol was proceeded in death by: her parents, Bert and Mary Middlecamp; husbands, Loren Beggs and Williard Ruster; son, James Lee Beggs; great-grandson, Braden Christopher LaPorte; and sister, Evelyn Kleinjans.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., Friday, November 28, 2025 at First Baptist Church of Hart, 3258 N. 72nd Ave., Hart, Michigan 49420, with Pastor Ryan Vander Zwaag officiating. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until services at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church.
Harris Funeral Home, in Shelby, is in charge of arrangements.
www.harrisfhome.com
