Ruth Smith Clark

Ruth Smith Clark, 88, of Valdese, went home to be with her Heavenly Father on Monday, July 21, 2014. Born in Lincoln County, NC on November 15, 1925, she was the daughter of the late Ervin Oscar Bollinger and Minnie Cook Bollinger. Ruth was a member of Assembly Church of God in Glen Alpine. She loved to sing and play guitar and loved her family and her Savior.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Julius Monroe Clark of the home; a son, Paul Smith and his wife, Evelyn, of Connelly Springs, NC; a daughter, Joann McClellan of Morganton; grandchildren, Betty Burk, Paul D. McClellan and his wife, Donna, Angie M. Clay and her husband, Tim, Michael Cook and his wife, Angie, Bobby Cook and his wife, Angel, Susan Willis and her husband, Johnny, Ben Smith and his wife, Karen, and Tina Mosley and her husband, Josh; fifteen great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a brother, George Bollinger of Valdese; and a sister, Laura Lee Ramseur of Lincolnton.

In addition to her parents, Ruth was preceded in death by her first husband, Joe Smith; two daughters, Shirley Cook and Bernice Smith; a great-granddaughter, Hannah Smith; two sisters, Eulamae Huss and Mary Clark; and a brother, Ray Bollinger.

The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, July 25, 2014 in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center with the Rev. Rick Connors and the Rev. Ralph Shuffler officiating. Burial will follow in Grandview Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. prior to the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Ruth’s caregivers, Geilisha Benfield and Tom Beam.