Ruth Long Williams

Ruth Long Williams, age 97, died Thursday, March 20, 2014 at Springmoor Retirement Community in Raleigh, N.C. Born July 29,1916 in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. , she was the daughter of Rosa Arrington Heath of Petersburg, Virginia and William Lunsford Long of Northampton County, N.C. She graduated in 1934 from St. Margaret’s School, Tappahanock, Virginia, in 1936 from St. Mary’s School in Raleigh, and in 1938 from Smith College, Northampton, MA.

She retained a keen intellectual curiosity all of her life. Forty years ago she took up watercolor painting and essentially became an exhibiting member of the North Carolina Watercolor Society. Her awards included the N.C. State Fair and Raleigh Fine Arts Society, as well as Rocky Mount shows.

She was an active member of Christ Episcopal Church and the Wake County Committee of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America. She was a former member of the Raleigh Junior League.

She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years, Peter Pescud Williams and a son, Peter, Jr., as well as her brother Dr. William Lunsford Long and sister Heath Long Beckwith. She is survived by a daughter, Isabella( Belle) Williams Smith and her husband William Ware Smith, Jr. , a son, Mason Long Williams and wife Catherine Shaw Williams, six nieces and nephews, Rosa Beckwith Sands, James Payne Beckwith, The Honorable William Lunsford Long, Dr. Walker Anderson Long, Tarlton Heath Long and Isabella ( Belle) Pescud Long. ; five grandchildren, Dr. Elizabeth Smith Widerquist and husband Dr. Karl Smith Widerquist, Mason Smith Custard and husband William Allen Custard, III, William Ware Smith III and wife, Alison Fisher Smith, Peter Pescud Williams II and wife, Joleen Michelle Williams, and Sarah Heath Williams and partner Ollie Dooling Walker ; four great-grandchildren, Isabella Willis Pescud Custard, William Allen Custard, IV, Franklin Pitts Custard, III and William Ware Smith, IV and a special friend and caregiver, Jackie Bridger.

The family will receive at noon on Thursday, March 27, 2014 in the Parish House of Christ Episcopal Church, 120 E. Edenton Street with the service to follow at 2:00 P.M. in the church. Interment will be held at the Historic Oakwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Springmoor Endowment Fund at Springmoor, 1500 Sawmill Road, Raleigh, N.C. 27615. The family wishes to thank the dedicated caregivers of Springmoor and HomeInstead.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, Saint Mary’s St., Raleigh.