Ruth Kate Barnhill

Mrs. Ruth P. Bamberg Barnhill, 97, passed away at her home in Saraland, Ala., on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, following a brief illness. She was born Nov. 15, 1915, in Pletcher, Ala., to Nettie and Isham Frank Pounds. The oldest of four children, she graduated from Murphy High School, Daphne State Teachers College, and the University of South Alabama with a degree in Elementary Education. While raising five children with her first husband, she taught school for 31 years in Mobile County, where she was named Teacher of the Year and shared her great love of learning with so many young people. Right up to her death, she would fondly share stories about her former students. After her retirement, she loved traveling the world, seeing new places and meeting new people with her second husband. Having taught herself photography later in life, she enjoyed capturing beautiful memories of these travels and displaying many of them on the walls of her home.

Mrs. Barnhill was preceded in death by her first husband, Louis O. Bamberg of Saraland, who passed away in 1977 after 38 years of marriage. In 2003, she was preceded in death by her second husband, Roger F. Barnhill of Loxley, Ala., after sharing 23 years of marriage. Mrs. Barnhill was also preceded in death by one son, George O. Bamberg of Saraland.

She is survived, and will be sorely missed, by: one son and his partner, Louis F. Bamberg and Johnny King of Saraland; three daughters and sons-in-law, Carolyn L. and George "Andy" Andrews of Saraland, Kathryn R. and Mike Howell of Montgomery, Ala., and Judith A. and Dennis Rogers of Satsuma, Ala.; four grandchildren, Kathryn Michelle McLeod and her husband Jack McLeod of Palm Bay, Fla., Heather Julan Rogers and her husband Kevin Rogers of Madison, Miss., Jason R. Willis and his wife Donna Willis of Basal, Switzerland, and Kevin B. Rogers of Satsuma; and six great-grandchildren, Benjamin Kevin Rogers, Logan Alexander Rogers, Zachery Luke Rogers, and Brady Cole Rogers of Madison, and Bronwyn Kate McLeod and Sean Dylan McLeod of Palm Bay. The family would like to offer a special thanks to Mrs. Barnhill's caregivers, Brenda Stephenson, for all of her help and support.

Visitation will be held at Radney Funeral Home in Saraland on Friday, November 1, 2013, from 5 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held in the funeral home chapel on Saturday, November 2, at 2p.m. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn in Saraland. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-saraland.com.