Ruth H. Mitchell

MITCHELL, Ruth H., age 103, a long time resident of Asbury Acres, died Monday, September 23, 2002, at Blount Memorial Hospital. Mrs. Mitchell was born August 20, 1899, to Tom and Mae Huff in Cocke County. She attended a one-room school near her home and at age 14 went to Sweetwater Seminary with her aunt and uncle. She spent the first three years of high school there, but came back home to graduate from Cocke County High School in Newport. She then took the state teachers examination and was given a temporary certificate to teach for two or three years. She taught in the same one-room school she had attended as a child. During this time, she took correspondent courses and went to summer school. Later, she enrolled in Carson-Newman College and majored in music. When Ruth got out of college, she came to Mascot to teach. At Mascot, she met the man of her dreams, Joe R. Mitchell. After five years of courtship, they were married and moved to Maryville. In 1973, Joe died and in 1978 she moved to Asbury Acres Retirement Center where she resided until her death. Ruth has been a member of First United Methodist Church of Maryville since 1934 and in November 1988 was honored by the church with a Distinguished Member Award. She was a faithful member of the church choir and leading soloist and a member of the music committee for numerous years. She was known throughout the community for her beautiful voice. When her husband, Joe, was state representative, she was guest soloist at the Lincoln Day Dinner in Nashville. At First United Methodist, Ruth served as president of the Belle Henry Young Sunday School Class, was a member of the Building Committee for the present church edifice, served as president of the Women’s Society of Christian Service and as a member of many other committees and boards. She taught school at the primary level in Blount County for thirty years, was a charter member of the Blount County Teachers Association and its first treasurer, and in 1997 was honored by the Maryville Rotary Club for 40 years of dedicated service to that association. She was a member and former secretary of the Maryville Music Club, a charter member of Delta Kappa Gamma, and Teachers Honorary Society. She was preceded in death by parents, Tom and Mae Huff; husband, Joseph (Joe) R. Mitchell; sisters, Edith Brooks and Alma Harned; brothers, Joe Huff, Hugh Huff and Thomas Earl Huff. Survivors include special niece, Dorothy Clift and husband Lloyd Clift of Knoxville and special nephew, James Huff of Atlanta, GA; several other nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews; special friend, Mary Brooks. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday in McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Darris Doyal and Rev. Sterling Turner officiating. The interment will follow in Grandview Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2-3:00 p.m. Wednesday at McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home, Maryville. There will also be a memorial service at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 28, at Asbury Acres with Rev. Robert Hayes officiating. Memorials may be made to The Mitchell Sunday School Class at First United Methodist Church, 804 Montvale Station Road, Maryville, TN 37803 or to Asbury Acres Retirement Center, 2648 Sevierville Road, Maryville, TN 37804. McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home, Maryville 982-6812 www.mccammonammonsclick.com