Ruth Swan Yankee was born January 29th, 1925 at home on Sugar Creek near Gainesboro, TN, to Charlie Hall Swan and Maude Moss Swan. She died at the age of 95 on May 17th, 2020 at Maristone of Providence Assisted Living Center in Mt. Juliet, TN.
Ruth graduated from Jackson County High School in 1943. She was part of “The Greatest Generation”, moving to Detroit, Michigan at the age of eighteen to work in a factory inspecting pistons for bomber planes during World War II. When the war ended, she entered David Lipscomb College where she graduated with a Home Economics degree in 1950. She then moved to Paducah, KY to teach school. While in Paducah, she met W. E. Yankee, “Woody.” They married August 14th, 1953 and made their home in Donelson, TN. They were married for thirty-nine years when Woody passed away in 1992.
After twenty-eight years of teaching in Metro Schools, Ruth retired and became an award winning quilter, enjoyed reading, and spent many hours with her granddaughters. She also traveled all over the United States and the world. She visited the Netherlands, Russia, France, Italy, Israel, and spent several weeks on a freighter sailing down the coast of South America.
Ruth was an active member of the Lebanon Road and Brentwood Hills churches of Christ. Ruth is survived by a son, Bill (Norma) Yankee of Lander, Wyoming, and a daughter, Cynthia Ezell (Tim Blair) of Lebanon, Tennessee. She is survived by her granddaughters Bethany (Ryan) Cernoch of Mt. Juliet, TN, Laura Ezell, and Anna (Robert) Penick of Nashville, TN, and great-grandchildren Luke Cernoch, Lilyanne Cernoch, and Grant Cernoch.
Ruth was a gracious, creative woman admired by all who knew her, and loved by a score of nieces and nephews and many friends. A graveside service will be held for Ruth Yankee on Thursday, the 21st at 2:00 pm at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the Wayne Reed Christian Childcare Center or Open Table Nashville.
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