A worship service in celebration of the life of Ruth Aldridge Mathis Stovall will be held 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at Leland Presbyterian Church. She died at her home in Leland Saturday, August 20. Burial will follow in the Leland-Stoneville Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home. Ruth was born November 6, 1914, in Leland, the daughter of Ida Ruth Aldridge and Joseph Thomas Mathis. She graduated from Leland High School and Belhaven College. She married Joseph “Jody” Pendleton Stovall on June 24, 1937 in the Leland Presbyterian Church. An English teacher in the Leland Public Schools for many years, she was also active in the Leland Deer Creek Garden Club, Twin City Theater Guild, Leland Junior Auxiliary (crowned Queen of the Auxiliary Ball,) and Delta Kappa Gamma. Ruth was a life long member of the Leland Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday School and Women’s Bible Study, sang in the church choir, and served as an elder. Mrs. Stovall was preceded in death by her husband, Jody, her son, Read Askew Stovall, her son-in-law, Sammy Shaifer, and her sister, Polly Cooper. She is survived by her children, Mary & E.L. Boteler, Jody & Kicky Stovall, Dot & Jim Brown, Tom & Rosemary Stovall, and Lee & Faye Stovall; her grandchildren, Laura & Leslie Bell, Jodie & Hartwell Huddleston, Sanfrid & Stefanie Shaifer, Lee & Kay Boteler, Bob & Hilda Boteler, Becky Dalton, Lovejoy and Jill Boteler, Mary Gene Boteler & Rick Nutt, Jane & Gary Pereshuck, Julie & Chuck Potter, Greg & Betsy Patton, Clyde & Minnette Patton, Kenner & Stephanie Patton, Mark & Dee Brown, Russell & Amie Brown, Kramer & Rinna Stovall, Matt Stovall, Jason & Tera Smith, Brian & Brienne Smith, Chris Stovall, Nicki & Greg Manuel, Tracey & Lee Seale, Shaun & Evan Smith, and Pendleton & Kim Stovall; many great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews; and her caregivers, Shirley & James Busby, Carolyn Flemming, and Dorothy Wilson. A visitation will be held 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Monday, August 22 at Boone Funeral Home, Leland. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Leland Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 148, Leland, MS 38756. Serving as pallbearers will be grandsons, Sanfrid, Greg, Clyde, Kenner, Mark, Russell, Kramer, Matt, Chris, and Pendleton.
