Ruth Reavis Renegar

RUTH RENEGAR OBITUARY Ruth Rebecca Reavis Renegar's life was a full shower of blessings. She was born in Hamptonville, NC on August 23, 1916; she died a bit more than a month short of her 96th birthday on July 11, 2012. She was the eldest child of John Sanford Reavis and Maggie Steelman Reavis. She grew up on a small farm, near Brooks Crossroads, and attended and graduated from Yadkinville High School. As the sparseness of the Great Depression lingered, she could not afford college, but returned for a "post graduate high school year" in order to study physics and Latin. At church during that year, she met the late Thomas Woodrow Renegar, and they were married on December 23, 1939. Over a period of years, they searched for and found work in Pineville, KY, Front Royal, VA, Charleston, WVA, and settled for many years in Radford, VA. They were blessed with three children, two daughters, Karen Ruth Renegar Wortman, Janet Elaine Renegar, and one son, Thomas Michael Renegar, plus two in-laws, Candy Burnett Renegar, wife of Thomas Michael, and Manuel David Wortman, husband of Karen. Two sisters-in-law are yet alive: Nell Reavis and Sue Reavis. In addition, she is survived by four grandchildren: Thomas Brian Renegar, Kristen Wortman Perkins, David Thomas Wortman, and Justin Jonren Wortman. Eight Great Grandchildren delighted her with their visits and/or pictures: Thomas Brian Renegar, Jr., Brooke Renee Renegar, Noah Wyatt Renegar, Aden James Renegar, Jacob Alexander Perkins, Joshua Aiden Perkins, Ian Skye Johnston, Garnett Star Grace Watson-Wortman. After the death of her husband in 1994, Ruth remained in Radford, continuing her life in church and the community, and always welcomed the regular return of children and grandchildren, with rooms of comfort and tables of feasts that delighted children and grandchildren alike. She remained in Radford until July of 2006, at which time her declining health forced her to leave her home of 50 years and move near her daughters in Chapel Hill and Winston-Salem. She remained a resident at The Village of Brookwood in Burlington, NC until a broken hip took her into the hospital and from which she died two weeks later. Among many loyalties, her life was marked by faithful attendance at Flat Rock Baptist Church in Yadkin County, and being a dedicated member of Grove Avenue United Methodist in Radford for more than 50 years, where she was very active in the Women's Division, and a ready volunteer for kitchen duties, as well as an active church school and worship attendee. She was well-known among her family and in the community as a master seamstress, making most of the clothes that her daughters wore until they left home. Even after that she created beautiful gifts of quilts, baby blankets and clothes, sweaters, and other special clothing for her children and grandchildren. Her wedding dresses for two daughters and her granddaughter were works of art. Years ago Ruth did extensive research on the history of the Reavis and Renegar families in Yadkin County. She eventually compiled all the information she had gathered and wrote family histories that she presented to her children as Christmas gifts, along with photo albums that gave a visual history of their heritage. She was a responsible daughter, an excellent student, a devoted wife and a beloved mother and family matriarch. Her funeral will be held at Sandy Springs Baptist Church near Lone Hickory on Saturday, July 14 at 2 PM. The family will receive guests Friday evening, 7:00-8:30 PM at Gentry Funeral Home in Yadkinville. Memorial gifts may be made to Sandy Springs Baptist Church - Music Fund, 2930 Sandy Springs Rd., Harmony, NC 28634; Grove United Methodist Church, 1020 Tyler Ave., Radford, VA 24141; or The Village at Brookwood Scholarship Fund, 1860 Brookwood Ave., Burlington, NC 27215.