Mary Ruth Church

Mary Ruth Church, better known as Ruth, made her entrance into this world on March 29th, 1936. Tho’ we were blessed beyond measure to have her with us for 89 wonderful years, still, we weren’t ready to let her go. But time waits for no one.

And on December 30, 2025, the Good Lord called time.

The last of her generation, she follows her sister Georgia Belle, and her brothers, Charles Wesley and James Thomas Church into the great beyond.

Ruth was a people lover. She worked for 27 years in customer service as a convenience store clerk for Jr. Food of Florida. And yes, the woman that didn’t believe any of God’s creatures should be harmed and would have a fit about using worms for fish bait, would cook up the best fried chicken this side of heaven. Her customers would drive over 100 miles to get her fried chicken, livers and gizzards. One customer would make the trip twice a month and said, “I’ve eaten a lot of fried livers over my life, but these are the best I have ever had.”

Another couple had 2 young children that loved her chicken and always told their parents, “If Miss Ruth is not cooking, do NOT get the chicken.” Well, one day the parents stopped in but Ruth was off work that day. They thought, “Well, the kids won’t know. We’ll just tell them she fixed it.” But as soon as they put it on the table, one of the kids spoke up and said, “Miss Ruth did NOT cook that chicken! The other got a piece and took a small bite, then exclaimed, “NO, she did NOT!”

Needless to say - nary a one of them ate that chicken.

She was the epitome of Philippians 2:3 KJV. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” If you were to ask her favorite color, she’d say, “Well, I like them all, I guess. But daddy always thought yellow roses were the purtiest thang. He just loved yellow roses.” Now that may seem small in the grand scheme of things, but it’s just a little drop in the bucket of what her life was all about: putting others before herself.

Ruth was a quiet, but beautiful soul with enormous resolve. She was one of those few people you rarely saw angry, or with an attitude unbecoming of a lady. She loved reading the Bible, listening to Gospel music and preaching, singing old Gospel hymns and long nature walks. She loved God’s creation and never passed up a chance to take in the scenery whether it be the beautiful flowers in bloom, the deer frolicking in the fields, or the birds singing as they built their nests or fed their young. At any given time of day, you’d find her humming a tune or singing whatever song came to mind. Like a songbird, she didn’t lose her song in the midnight hour, or in the stormy weather cancer brought her way. Her song wasn’t determined by her circumstance.

She sang because it was in her heart to do so.

She sang because she had a song.

Her song got her through a lot of dark hours, and cancer became a memory as she came out a survivor. She lived out the rest of her years as she did much of her life, with her daughter, Dorothy Diane Jenkins by her side. She knew only love and peace as the end grew near; the wonders of a life traced in grace.

And now, if I may echo her last words to ring out for all who’ll hear…

“I love you. Love ya.”

Visitation will be 1:00-2:00 p.m. followed by funeral service at 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 9, 2026, at Smith-Westbrook Funeral Home, 404 W. Dewitt Henry Dr., Beebe, Arkansas. Burial will be in Weedon Cemetery, Weedon Cemetery Rd., Pettus, Arkansas.

Online guest book at: www.smithfamilycares.com