Ruth Parrish Elliott

Ruth Parrish Elliott, age 90, of Gastonia, NC, died peacefully on August 31, 2024. Ruth was the first of seven children born to Lester A. and Lousie Johnson Parrish of Concord, NC. She devoted her personal life to caring for others as well as her professional life to healthcare after graduating from Cabarrus Memorial Hospital's School of Nursing, in Concord. Early in her career she met the love of her life, David Ray Elliott, a hospital patient, while nursing him back to health. Ruth and Ray would eventually marry, plant roots, establish their home, and raise a family in Gastonia.

Ruth is survived by her three children, Eric Elliott, Elisa Fisher (Scott), Amy Lambert (Nelson); nine grandchildren, Ashley Adams, Maggie Munnell (Austin), David Lambert (Paige), Jordan James, John Elliott, Chrissy Azar, Jacob Lambert, Zach Elliott and Carlie Azar; and nine great-grandchildren, Jesse, Emmett, Ava, Aubrey, Payton, Owen, Arden, Lawson, and Aurora. Ruth is also survived by sister Frances Clark of Concord; and by many nieces and nephews, their children, and grandchildren.

After Ruth retired from her twenty-five years of service in public health with the Gaston County Health Department, she enjoyed traveling, visiting most all states in the United States as well as countries in Europe. Her memories from her travels frequently fostered conversations with her family about history. Many of those conversations included her grandchildren. Even so, Ruth would passionately admit her greatest adventures came from the countless journeys she made through the pages of the hundreds of books she would read. Her love for reading profoundly impacted her grandchildren, inspiring them not only to have her passion for reading but a passion to share their literal journeys with others and in book clubs, a passion for Scrabble games they played with her, and the Phase 10 card game challenges held at her kitchen table. Nana was a great wife, mother and grandmother; a focused listener; a confident, and loyal friend to all who knew and loved her.

A private service will be held at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte, NC. Memorials may be made to Robin Johnson Hospice House in Dallas, NC, or the charity of your choice.