Ruth Smith

Ruth Smith of Hermitage, Tennessee, and formerly of Indiana, passed away peacefully at her residence on May 19, 2025, at the age of 71. Born on February 1, 1954, to Clyde and Ilene Hale, Ruth lived a bold and colorful life, rich with love, stories, and laughter.

She was full of spirit—an adventurer at heart who loved deep sea diving, a card shark who never turned down a good game, and a storyteller whose tales could captivate a room. Her greatest joy came from time spent with family, and she especially cherished memories of visiting New Orleans in the 1970s. She also adored her son’s beloved Alaskan Malamutes, Tennessee and Kodiak, who were never far from her heart.

Ruth is survived by her children, Steven Oldham (Melissa), Rhonda Howe, and Vanessa Salgat; her grandchildren Kayla, MJ, Terry, Justin, Caden, Alexandria, Brady, Kristi, Easton, Jake, Bryce, and Lacey; and her great-grandchildren Maren, Jadelyn, Theron, Arabella, Braiden, Hayden, Arabella (yes, two!), Jesse, Jace, Penny, Wyatt, Kayden, Ash-lee, Leo, Lily, Riley, and Nathan.

She was preceded in death by her husband Danny Smith, her parents Clyde and Ilene, and a grandson Steven.

A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 2:00 PM at Associated Family Funeral Home in Adamsville, TN. Visitation will take place from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, followed by a gathering filled with joy, laughter, and remembrance—just the way she would have wanted.

Our family at Associated is very honored and thankful to have been chosen to serve the Smith family.  

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