Ruth Mcmahan Smith

RUTH MCMAHAN SMITH Ruth Smith was an adoring wife, a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, an enduring friend, and a caring community worker. She quietly passed from this life on January 19, 2011, surrounded by her family. Ruth's magnetic and vivacious personality attracted friends and admirers by the score and this was never more in evidence than in the gathering that played havoc with the hospital's "only two at a time" visitation policy for ICU. She always loved a party.

Ruth was born in Houston, Texas in 1924, but soon moved to Atlanta, where she graduated from Girls' High. Not long thereafter she met a dashing young Army officer, Bob Smith who became the love of her life and her husband for sixty years. Theirs was a true love story, full of adventure, passion and tenderness. He adored her and she worshipped him. In the 1950's, they moved to Japan with their two young children. Later they relocated to Germany, where they were living when the Berlin Wall was erected. In 1973, they moved to Macon when Bob was named a federal judge by President Richard Nixon. Macon proved to be the perfect place for Ruth's blend of Old South charm and world traveler sophistication. At High Point North, she was the lady who walked her dog wearing her mink coat! She had flair!

From 1989 until her death, Mrs Smith proudly served on the Board of Directors of the India Benton Lesser Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization. Ruth was a 30 year volunteer at Northside Hospital, where she was named Volunteer of the Year in 2006. She attended Riverside United Methodist Church for over 35 years where she was a member of The Roundtable Sunday School class and previously served as a member of the Administrative Council. She was a member of the Macon Arts Alliance, the Macon Service League and the Macon Writers Club. She and Bob were members of Idle Hour Country Club, where she was an avid golfer in earlier times and more recently enjoyed playing bridge. She was a member of The Red Hat Society and The White Gown Society. One of her passions was Children Incorporated, a charity which gives financial assistance to poor children in the U.S. and abroad.

Ruth is predeceased by her husband of sixty years, Judge Robert L. Smith. She is survived by a daughter, Amanda Reames (Chip) of Atlanta; a son, Charles Robert Smith (Anne) of Richmond, Virginia; four Grandchildren: Heather Jones of Pawleys Island, South Carolina; Holland Rogers of Cumming, Georgia; Austin Smith, of Baltimore, Maryland; and Lindsay Smith of Washington, D.C.; four great grandchildren, Hudson and Tabor Jones of Pawleys Island and Smith and Turner Rogers of Cumming.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Children Incorporated, 4205 Dover Rd., Richmond, Virginia 23221 (www.childrenincorporated.org), in Ruth's memory.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Ruth McMahan Smith will be held Sunday, January 23nd, at 2:00PM at Hart's at the Cupola, 6324 Peake Road, Dr. B. Sonny Mason officiating. A reception will follow at Hart's at the Cupola.

Register online at www.hartsmort.com.

Hart's Mortuary and Crematory at the Cupola has charge of arrangements. Click here to view floral tributes. ">.