Selma Clair Rodriguez Ruth

Selma Clair Rodriguez Ruth died peacefully at her home on Thursday, December 9, 2021. She lived 90 amazing years as the matriarch of her family before entering the gates of Heaven. Selma was born on September 1, 1931 in Baton Rouge. A lifelong member of First Baptist Church, she attended Highland Elementary, Bernard Terrace, Baton Rouge Junior High, and Baton Rouge Senior High. Upon graduation, she attended Louisiana State University where she studied business administration and graduated from Spencer Business College. She worked at the LSU Agriculture Center. Selma was also a member of ADPi sorority. She was Co-Owner of Gerard Furniture & Gallery where she worked for many years. Upon retiring, she became a wonderful homemaker. She spent her time spoiling her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and sharing her Dove chocolate and Mallomars with everyone. She was Gerard’s rock in all endeavors and his activities. She was a Jaycee Jane and assisted in the annual Christmas parade and Miss Baton Rouge pageant and the Orphan Shopping tour. She was also a member of the Baton Rouge Boat Club and chairman of the Miss Boat Queen Pageant at the boat races. A member of the the Red Stick Kiwanis Club, she was a past member of the Ladies Auxillary of the American Legion Post 38. She was instrumental in supporting Gerard, Cotton Lloyd, Gordon Morris and Walter Monsour in getting the “Lone Sailor” statue for US Navy Club for the City of Baton Rouge and was donations chairman for Coach Skip Bertman’s Red Fez project for the Acacia Shriners. She was one of the founders and charter member for the Baton Rouge High Alumni Association as well as a lifetime member. She was a 1948 graduate of Baton Rouge High School, an active member of the Tara Civic Association and was instrumental in Baton Rouge Green in the tree planting on Tara Blvd. Selma was preceded in death by her mother, Eunice Catherine Brabham Rodriguez and her father, Lawrence Edmond Rodriguez Jr. “Mimi” is survived by her husband Gerard Ruth; her daughters, Marsha Morgan (Reece), Amy Hartwig (Ty); sons Andrew Ruth and Lawrence “Larry” Ruth (Karen); eight grandchildren; Ashley Bergeson (Ben), Laurel Malone (Jeff), Christopher “Chris” Ruth, Brandon Ruth, Caroline Ruth, Madison Hartwig, Andrew Hartwig, and Gregory Hartwig; three great-grandchildren; Bailey Bergeson, Blakely Bergeson, and Colton Malone; and one sister, Katie Liter (John). Funeral Arrangements will take place at Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Government Street on Tuesday, December 14. Services will be conducted by very special friends Reverend Larkin Harris with First Baptist Church and Father Cleo Milano with Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church. Visitation will be from 9:00 – 11:00am with the service immediately following. She will be buried at Green Oaks Cemetery. The pallbearers are Chris Ruth, Brandon Ruth, Andrew Hartwig, Gregory Hartwig, Ben Bergeson, Jeff Malone, Reece Morgan and Ty Hartwig. Honorary Pallbearers are Andrew Ruth and Larry Ruth. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her memory to the First Baptist Church, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, or your favorite place of worship.