Ruth Groover Harris

Ruth Groover Harris died July 1, 2012 at the age of 81. Her parents were the late Mr. and Mrs. Claude Groover of Brooks County, Georgia. She was a graduate of Dixie High School; Dixie, Georgia, and Norman College, Norman Park, Georgia. She holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Valdosta State College, now Valdosta State University and Master of Education from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ruth taught in the public schools of Kentucky, Georgia, and Louisiana for twenty-nine years, the last twenty-five of which were at Pineville Junior High School, Pineville, Louisiana. As a reading specialist, she taught both reading and English.

Mrs. Harris is a descendant of Franz Gruber (Gruber in German became Groover in English). Gruber composed the melody for a favorite Christmas hymn, “Silent Night, Holy Night”.

Mrs. Harris is survived by the Reverend John Stark Harris to whom she was married for nearly sixty years. She is also survived by her two daughters, Mrs. Emily Ann Harris (Jason Duke) Sooter of Birmingham, Alabama and Mrs. Johnita Sue Harris (William Francis) Bryson of Marietta, Georgia. She has three adoring granddaughters, all of Birmingham; Mrs. Hannah Ruth Sooter (William Alexander, Jr.) Dow, Miss Grace Ann Sooter, Miss Lydia Katherine Sooter and one grandson, Master Harris Kennedy Bryson of Marietta, Georgia. Mrs. Harris is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, among them, locally, are Mrs. Lynn Thagard Faught and Dr. Ray Alfred Groover, Jr.

Mrs. Harris was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ and taught children and adult women in the Sunday Schools of the churches where Reverend Harris was a pastor. She was trained in the Laubach method of Literacy Training and helped men in the East Louisiana State Hospital learn to read. In retirement she taught English as a second language as well as a Ladies Bible Study Class at Galleria Woods Retirement Center. She was also active in projects related to Habitat for Humanity. One of the most memorable was a week in Pikeville, Kentucky working with Rosalyn Carter on the Jimmy Carter work project in 1997.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, July 5, 2012 between 5:00pm and 7:00pm at Southern Heritage Funeral Home. The memorial service will be conducted at Riverchase Baptist Church, Hoover, AL, at 2:00pm on Friday, July 6, 2012, led by the pastor, the Reverend Jeff Greer and the Reverend Doctor John Lee Taylor. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to: The American Cancer Society, 1100 Ireland Way, Suite 201, Birmingham, AL 35205-7014, in memory of Ruth G. Harris and designated for breast cancer research.