Ruth Ann Williams Holmes

Ruth Williams Holmes, age 76, of Clayton, passed away on Saturday, September 23, 2023. Ruth was born in Verona, NJ on October 3, 1946, to the late Charles and Jessie Livingston Williams. Ruth graduated with a bachelor's degree from Northeastern Bible College in 1968. Later that same year, she married Jim, her husband of 55 years. Together, they served as Pastor and wife in several churches in New Jersey, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. After moving to Arizona, she was a Christian school teacher for several years before transitioning into a career in Human Resources. She worked as a Human Resources Coordinator for several companies before finally retiring from Haywoods Properties in Raleigh after 15 years of service.

In her professional life, she combined a genuine concern for people, an acute attention to detail, and a strong work ethic that was admired and appreciated by her coworkers. She had a lifelong passion for teaching, which was evident in both her personal and professional life. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and an adoring grandmother, who loved finding special treasures to share with her family and friends. She provided a loving home for her five precious indoor cats that she rescued over the years. Her backyard was a haven for stray and abandoned outdoor cats, where she provided them with love, shelter, veterinary care, and gourmet meals.

She is survived by her husband, James "Jim" Holmes; a brother, Richard Williams, and his wife, Pat, of Toms River, NJ; her son, James Andrew "Jim" Holmes, and his wife, Sophia, of Cary; and grandchildren Tara, Kenny, and Rosalia. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Donald Williams.

A visitation for Ruth will be held Sunday, October 1, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at McLaurin Funeral Home. A funeral service will occur Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 2:00 PM at McLaurin Funeral Home Chapel, 12830 US 70 Bus Hwy W, Clayton, North Carolina 27520. An interment will occur Sunday, October 1, 2023 at Pinecrest Memorial Park, Clayton, NC.