A Tribute to Ruth Irelan Knee

Remarks by Dr. Bernice Catherine Harper, NASW Social Work Pioneer

Thank you. Good afternoon to the members of Ruth Irelan Knee's family, friends, and colleagues. Ladies and gentlemen, I will open my remarks with a letter:

Dear Dr. Harper:

Thank you for letting me know that Ruth Knee passed away.  Ruth Knee and I both served on several projects for the Washington National Cathedral. It was in that context
that I became acquainted with her and learned of her wide interest in civic affairs, her intelligence, and her ability to work with others for the greater good. She had a delightful personality and a high degree of intelligence.
She lived her life as we all should-in the service of others and her community. She will be greatly missed and has a place in heaven for all she did on earth.

Sincerely,
Sandra Day O’Connor Retired
Supreme Court of the United States, Washington, D.C.

Justice O'Connor has aptly and beautifully described our beloved friend, colleague and relative - Ruth Irelan Knee. I will add a few highlights relative to her life
and legacy because at the Cosmos Club you will receive a program and biographical material related to Ruth.

I recall Ruth's philosophy and ideology of "love thy neighbor as thy self," and the question is and always will be who thy neighbor is? The answer is and always will be every one under the sound of your voice. Ruth operated on that philosophy, showing love for her family, showing love for her friends and showing love for her professional colleagues.

There are untold Ruth Knee protégés, involved in important work throughout our global world. Individuals who learned from her vast storehouse of knowledge, skills and experiences. She was a stellar performer at the National Institutes of Mental Health and the Public Health Service.

There are a number of us in this chapel who bear witness to Ruth's having used her skills to carry out the Medicare and Medicaid legislation, mandated by the congress of the United States, to improve health, mental health and social care for the American citizens.

We bear witness to her work in improving the conditions of psychiatric hospitals, and helping to desegregate them and to protect the civil rights of patients and families.  We bear witness to her using her brilliant mind to conceptualize, design and to plan the implementation of the ombudsman's program for long term care facilities. We bear witness to Ruth's having helped us to provide thousands of training opportunities for physicians, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physical therapists, nutritionists, pharmacists, activity directors, home health aides, medical directors and administrators in long- term care facilities. Ruth would say that improvements have been made, but our work, commitment and dedication should never cease.  We must continue to be mental health missionaries and cage rattlers.

On October 6th, Ruth and I had our final luncheon. We did some talking, reviewing, reliving, resolving, and returning to God's green earth.  After she decided that she would not be participating in any more public activities, I shared with her our big secret plans for the unveiling of her picture, at the annual meeting of the pioneers on October 25th, as well as Mark Battle's picture. I told her that the presentation was going to be made by Jack Hansan and that the pictures would be placed in the pioneer room at the National Association of Social Workers' headquarters.  She was surprised and pleased.  I then gave her a poem I had written for her. She read it, smiled and said "I will place it right here in the middle of the table."  Life's journey is very interesting and has some strange and significant threads.  On October 27, 1981 I stood in this chapel at the memorial for Junior Knee, the love of Ruth's life, and read a poem I had written for him. Today, exactly some 27 years later, I will share with you, the poem I gave to Ruth.

What’s in a name?

Ruth Irelan Knee

R.  Is for your desire to do what’s right.
U.  Is for the utilization of your human caring skills.
T.  Represents your trust in your fellow persons.
H.  Denotes your having a heart of Gold.

I.  Speaks to your interest in people.
R.  Involves running the race with patience. 
E.  Is your enthusiasm for serving others.
L.  Demonstrates love and leadership.
A.  The action oriented mind and skills.
N.  Stands for your natural abilities.

K.  Your kind heart and kingly spirit.
N.  Never taking “no” for an answer when it was not indicated. 
E.  An encourager of others.
E.  Using your energy to make a better health and mental health world for all of us. 

Ruth has earned her right to rest, in peace, in the bosom of God, Our Father.  Good bye my friend.  Farewell to you from your friends.  Godspeed, from all of us, on your journey, from here to eternity.