Ruth Sheehy Douglas

Ruth was born in Bethlehem, PA, on April 25, 1923, the daughter of Lillian Schetelig Mullen and Thomas Mullen. She was the second of three children.

She graduated from Packer Institute and in 1946 married Thomas Vincent Sheehy. They settled in Manhasset, NY and had five children: Thomas, Susan, Paul, James, and Ann Marie.

Ruth and Thomas were married 23 years until his sudden death in 1969. She was later introduced to her future husband, Robert Dick Douglas, Jr., by Nathaniel P. Hayes, Sr. of Greensboro. Dick and Ruth wed on April 8, 1972 in Camden, SC, and they settled at Dunleith on Pleasant Ridge Road in Greensboro.

Ruth and Dick were instrumental in cultivating the presence of the Catholic Church in Greensboro. They helped found St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, where they were parishioners since its founding in 1974.

Ruth will be remembered for her ready smile, her joyful and independent spirit, her generosity, and her gracious humility. As much as she enjoyed bringing people together, she was much more comfortable letting others take center stage. Ruth and Dick were long-time members of the Greensboro Country Club where she enjoyed tennis and golf. At Dunleith, Ruth stabled horses and enjoyed many hours riding with her daughters and grandchildren.

Ruth spent much of her life caring for others: her children, grandchildren, and those who needed her care and assistance, including the many sick and homebound friends she ministered to over the years. Always on the go, even into her final days, she felt most at home and comfortable with a destination and a purpose, and she was guided always by the Holy Spirit as well as her love of daily adventures, large or small.

Ruth is survived by her children, Thomas R. Sheehy, Susan S. Cole, James R. Sheehy, Paul D. Sheehy, and Ann Marie S. Bolen; her step-children, Robert D. Douglas, III, Anne D. Kohn, and Elizabeth D. Hickman, and many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The family will visit with friends on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 from 6 to 8 pm, beginning with praying the Holy Rosary, at the Hanes-Lineberry Funeral Home, 515 N. Elm Street, Greensboro, 27401. A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church. Interment will follow at the church columbarium.

The family wishes to thank Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, as well as Ruth’s regular caregivers, for their compassion and kindness. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church.

On line condolences may be made through www.haneslineberryfuneralhomes.com