Ruth Ellen Gray was born November 22, 1927 in Brule County of South Dakota to Harold and Clara (Ketelhut) Gray south of Pukwana. She attended the Gunderson Country School for two years.

The family moved north of Kimball in 1936. She later attended grade school in Kimball and graduated from high school in 1946. That year the family moved to a farm south of Ola.

On April 20, 1947, Ruth was united in marriage to Raymond Hloucha, who had previously served in the U.S. Army in Tokoyo, Japan, before returning to his parents farm where they remained until 1955 when they moved to Pomona, CA. She was employed at a guided missile plant in the Engineering Personnel office.

In 1957, they returned to their farm where they remained until 1972. During that time they welcomed two children to their family, Marla Sue and Dana Ray. At that time they moved to Cape Coral, FL where they made their home for twenty years. While in Florida, she worked various jobs, one being a typesetter-computer operator for the Cape Coral Breeze Newspaper.

After the loss of their daughter, they returned to South Dakota and resided in Belle Fourche near their son Dana and following his death they returned to Chamberlain in 2011.

As a result of an automobile accident in June of 2014, Ruth lost her husband, Ray, after 67 years of marriage.

While on the farm she held several positions in the WMF and Sunday school at the Ola Lutheran Church. She had many hobbies during her lifetime, among them were gardening, and growing flowering shrubs and house plants.

Ruth passed away on August 2, 2026 at Sanford Care Center in Chamberlain at the age of 98 years. Survivors include several cousins, many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Preceding her in death were her parents Harold and Clara Gray, and daughter Marla Kouvenhoven and husband Pete, son Dana Hloucha, her husband Raymond Hloucha, and her brother Ralph Gray.

Graveside services with burial of the ashes will be held at a later date at the Union Cemetery at Bijou Hills.