Ruth Loughridge

LaFAYETTE — Leah Ruth Garrison Loughridge, 97, passed away Sunday Jan. 6, 2019, following a short decline. Ruth was born in 1921 the daughter of W.E. and Virginia Garrison and came to LaFayette, Ga., for work at Fortune Mills and later worked for E.T. Barwick Industries and Caron Industries prior to retiring in the 1980s. Ruth was a long time member of and attended regularly services at the First Baptist Church in LaFayette. Ruth was, in retirement, first and foremost a grandmother and great-grandmother, fondly known as "grammy" by her six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren whose lives she followed with great interest and attended as many of their activities as she could. Ruth enjoyed being outside and could almost always be found tending her yard or reading on her porch, barring cold weather, which, mildly put, she did not particularly enjoy. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Robert and James Garrison; and sisters-in-law, Avis Thomas and Genelle Roberts; and son-in-law Jimmy Dendy Sr. Ruth is survived by a sister, Juanita Garrison Childs, of Sarasota, Fla.; sisters-in-law, Lottie Garrison, of Gulf Shores, Ala., and Doris Loughridge Potts, of Rock Spring, Ga.; her daughter, Kay Loughridge Dendy Trion, Ga.; and son, William Ross "Bill" Loughridge (Karen) Trion, Ga.; grandsons, Jim Dendy (Mike) Atlanta, Ga., David Dendy (Lindsay) Atlanta, Will Dendy (Heather) Chattanooga, Tenn., Lee Dendy (Catherine) Chickamauga, Ga., Cole Loughridge Atlanta, and Josh Loughridge (Summer) Trion, Ga.; and 13 great-grandchildren. A graveside service will be held at LaFayette Cemetery on Jan. 8, at 1 p.m. The service will be conducted by the Worship Pastor Tom Ariail of LaFayette First Baptist Church. Family and friends will gather at the gravesite starting at 12 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Ruth Loughridge to Make-a-Wish Georgia (georgia.wish.org) or Southern Bend (southernbendfestival.org) Arrangements are by Wallis-Wilbanks Funeral Home, LaFayette.