Ruth E. Smith, 97, passed away peacefully with her family in Salisbury, North Carolina, where she had been living for the past year. Ruth was born in Lima, Ohio to Melvin and Mary Mook on April 23, 1924. She moved into the Shawnee area during the second grade and went on to graduate from Shawnee High School in 1942. She was elected Homecoming Queen in her Senior year and was recognized in recent years as being the oldest living Queen in the school’s history. Ruth enjoyed accounting in high school and attended Bowling Green State University where she was a member of Alpha Pi. After school, she gained employment at the Lima Army Tank Plant where she was known for her precise accounting work. In the late 50’s and early 60’s she was sought out to become the Finance Director for what eventually became the Village of Fort Shawnee. Her impeccable work and tireless dedication helped bring the Village into being. For almost 10 years the Village offices were run out of her home. Much of her career was in public service helping to make her community and world a better place.
Post retirement Ruth was again sought out to help construct a quality record system for what is now the Shawnee Township Cemetery. Later in her career she assisted her life-long friend, Helen Jean Spyker with bookkeeping at the ElmView Store in the heart of Ft. Shawnee.
In her latter years Ruth enjoyed spending countless hours with her dogs Butch and Barker and tending to the landscaping of her property. Mowing her 3 acres of lawn was pure joy to her and she so missed doing it as her physical abilities declined. Ruth’s passions then turned to collecting Hull pottery, stamps and getting rowdy when her team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, took to the court! Ruth lived life vibrantly, from helping her Husband Jack race horses, hearing her daughter sing the National Anthem at a Reds game, going to sea on a Nimitz Class nuclear aircraft carrier, or setting on a USN Cruiser in the Hudson river in New York, watching the 4th of July fireworks front row. Ruth, a Blue Star mother was fiercely patriotic and understood service before self, supporting both children’s Military service in any way possible. Her last year was spent in North Carolina where she adopted a new fur baby Greg and Renee’s Weimaraner. They were often found asleep on each other when the Hallmark Christmas movies got to be too much, and she quickly realized that he does not take no for an answer when she was eating her morning toast.
Ruth was married to Keith Miller with whom she raised a daughter, Debbie. Later Ruth would marry Jack Smith with whom she had a son, Greg. Both husbands are deceased. Survivors include Daughter Debbie Landers who lives in Ada, Ohio…and son Chief Petty Officer Greg A. Smith USN Retired who resides in Salisbury, North Carolina. 4 Grandchildren and 7 Great Grandchildren. Cousins Jean Ann Stager, Connie Dutton, Janet Woodland and Doug McGee.
There will be a time of visitation at Chiles-Laman Funeral Home Shawnee Chapel on Friday, June 11, from 2-4 and 6-8. Funeral service will be Saturday, June 12, at 11 AM at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Lima, Ohio. Burial will be in the Fairmont Cemetery. Rev. Jonathon Spyker will officiate. Contributions in Ruth’s memory can be made to: https://k9s4cops.org/