Ruth Marie Smith

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, Ruth Marie Smith went home to be with the Lord at the age of 95, at the Generations of Irmo, Irmo, S.C. Mrs. Smith was born in Chicago, Ill., in December of 1925 and was the oldest of seven children. She met her husband, Marvin E. Smith, whose family were lifelong residents of Blytheville, in 1950 and they were married that same year. Three years later they packed up and moved back to Blytheville to be close to his family. Although, initially homesick for life in the big city, missing friends, relatives, the noise of the trains and the general hustle and bustle of city, it was not long before she fell in love with beautiful Blytheville. Enamored by the rolling cotton fields, bar-b-que joints, and ultimately the wonderful and welcoming citizens, Ruth and Marvin settled in and began to lay strong roots in this quiet, quaint town. The Smiths joined First United Methodist Church shortly after their move and they remained lifelong active members.

Mrs. Smith remained a part of the Blytheville community until the summer of 2012 when she relocated to Irmo, S.C., to be closer to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was a lover of all things water and was able to enjoy life at the lake and only a short drive from the beach.

The Atlanta Braves baseball team were among her greatest passions and good luck trying to reach her if a game was on. She was infatuated with all things Titanic; she was an enthusiastic traveler and rarely missed an opportunity to enjoy a decaf coffee at McDonalds with her friends on Saturday mornings. She was known for her uplifting spirit, her ability to make everyone feel at ease, she never met a stranger or cast judgment. Mrs. Smith was always willing to give of herself and her time. She spent countless hours as a “room grandma” at Gosnell Public Schools while her grandchildren attended and even after. You would be hard pressed to recall a time that she was caught complaining, she always lived by the motto “there is always someone who’s got it worse than you do, so we need to do what we can to help, with a smile.” It was these actions and beliefs that drew people to her, and it is also these things that we will miss the most.

Despite her droves of interest and hobbies it was her family that brought her the greatest joy. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, Marvin, who left this earth in 1990.

She leaves behind three children, Mona Smith Gunter and her husband Bud of Chapin, S.C., and their children Steven (Lynn-D) Gunter and Rebecca (Prizma) Gunter, and Kimberly Smith Holifield and her husband Darrell also of Chapin, S.C., and their children Rachel (Robert) Sanders, and Jonathan (Lindsay) Holifield, Marty Smith and his wife Annie, of Atlanta, Ga., and their children Leslie (Mark) Marshall and Juli Burge. She also leaves nine adoring great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, Feb. 27, at 11 a.m. in the Cobb Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Gary Hyde officiating. The family will receive friends Saturday morning from 10:00 until service time also at Cobb Funeral Home. Burial will be private in Elmwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials go to the JDRF, 1122 Lady Street, Suite 640, Columbia, S.C. 29201, 803-782-1477 or Autism Speaks, 863 Corley Mill Rd., Lexington, S.C. 29072,803-520-8080. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.cobbfuneralhome.com. 

Following the State of Arkansas COVID-19 guidelines, no more than 80 people will be allowed to gather inside of Cobb Funeral Home and practice social distancing, keeping a 6-foot distance between one another. Face masks are required to enter the building and to be worn at all times.