Ruth Patricia Smith

Ruth was a child of the “greatest generation.” Born after WWI she grew up O’Donnell during the great depression and WWII with a close family of Irish Catholic steel workers in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Her mother Mary O’Donnell died shortly after Ruth’s birth so she was raised by her stepmother Hannah.

At twenty-one she married into the Smith family and later gave birth to four children before leaving Pennsylvania for her new home in Miami, Florida in 1952. Eight years later she added another child to her family. She was very close to her siblings Mary, Jane, Joan and John all of whom predeceased her. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her daughter, Sage O’Donnell and Grandson James Smith.

In 1967 Ruth suffered a major stroke and she lived the remainder of her life in a wheelchair. This lifestyle did not hinder her independence nor her zest for life.

She is survived by her four remaining children; Don Smith (wife Rhonda), Paul Smith, Sue Ann O’Donnell and Elaine Rivera who all shared caring for her in their homes until moving permanently in 2004 to Elaine’s residence in Cary, North Carolina. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren Aaron and Damien, Tina Marie, Jillian, Alexandra, Chelsea, Warren, and Karen as well as eight great grandchildren

In 2007, she moved to her final residence, assisted living community Brookdale of MacArthur Park in Cary, NC and became a fixture of fun and sweetness of spirit there for 15 years.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be donated to your favorite charity in her name.

Fond memories and expressions of condolences may be shared at apexfuneral.net