Ms. Ruth Suddath Green

COLUMBIA - Ruth Suddath Green, only child of the late George William and Pauline Suddath Green, died January 8, 2015. Born in Kingstree, SC, Ruth graduated from Kingstree High School, 1941; Columbia College, Columbia, SC, BS in Music 1945, BA in English, 1949; and UNC-Chapel Hill, MA in English, 1951. She attended the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Mass. where she studied pipe organ under Carl McKinley and George Faxon. In Boston she enjoyed the music concerts at Symphony Hall; operas, plays and ballets at the Opera House and the “feasts for the eyes” at the Museum of Fine Arts. She made friends at Canterbury Club, Trinity Episcopal Church, Copley Square, and participated in its program for college students. Her teaching experiences included teaching pipe organ, piano and music appreciation under the direction of Thomas G. Shuler, head of the Music Department, Mitchell College, Statesville, NC and later Dr. Shuler, Dean of Columbia College, Columbia, SC; English, Abbeville [SC] High School and English, Eastman [GA] High School. Coming to Columbia [SC] she worked for two years as Editorial Assistant in the USC Alumni Association Office, Mr. Ralph Lewis, Director. In 1955 she started working at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History from which she retired forty years later. During this time Ruth served as indexer – copyist; assistant editor to Dr. J. Harold Easterby, editor, Journals of the Commons House of Assembly, 3 volumes: September 10, 1746 – June 13, 1747; January 19, 1748 – June 29, 1748; and March 28, 1749 – March 19, 1750; head of the division of Inventory and Arrangement; and research assistant to Dr. Charles Lesser in the preparation for the publication of his book, South Carolina Begins: The Records of a Proprietary Colony, 1663 – 1721. During the summer of 1968 Ruth had the opportunity to attend a class on archives taught by Mr. Jerry Ham, State Archivist, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. She later learned that Mr. Ham “founded the Archives Education program, which was the first of its kind in the nation.” At the invitation of Elizabeth DuRant, Archivist, and John C. Pritchett, Director, J. Drake Edens Library, Columbia College, Ruth arranged the papers of Lucile [“Miss Ludy”] Godbold, longtime Professor of Physical Education; Dr. J. Milton Ariail, distinguished Professor of English; and the Rev. Dr. R. Wright Spears, President of Columbia College, 1951-1977. In December of 1954 Ruth joined Washington Street Methodist Church where she attended the Thoroughman and Holroyd Sunday School classes, played the piano for the five year olds under the supervision of Nan Self and Frances Smith, sang for many years in the Sanctuary Choir, and for several years served as chairman of the Altar Guild. She was a member of The University of South Caroliniana Society, Columbia and the South Carolina Conference Historical Society of the United Methodist Church. For three years Ruth lived at Still Hopes, West Columbia, where she renewed friendships, made new friends and enjoyed the programs and trips planned by the Activities Staff. In September 2008, she moved from Still Hopes to Dalton, GA where she became an Associate Member of Fellowship Bible Church, was warmly received by the members and joined the “Ladies of the Round Table.” These ladies became her dear friends; she loved them all. In Dalton Ruth lived with her second cousin, the Rev. Mr. James E. (Jim) Suddath, his wife Jenny and family: Joshua, Joanna, Julia and Jordan. Family and friends were always coming and going; the house was filled with the joy of living. Funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 11, 2015, at Washington Street United Methodist Church, Christ Chapel, with burial in Greenlawn Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior from 2 until 3:00 p.m. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Fellowship Bible Church, 2044 Dug Gap Road, Dalton, GA 30720, directed to the “Ladies of the Round Table” Breakfast Fund; or to Washington Street Methodist Church, 1401 Washington Street, Columbia, SC 29201, directed to the EM Skinner Organ Repair Fund.