Mary Ruth Littleton Hastings

Mary Ruth Littleton Hastings, of Abita Springs, LA, died on March 29, 2017. She was born in Duncan, OK, on October 27, 1941, to the late Ruth Cribbs Littleton and Graves Bransford Littleton. She earned a B.S. in Business Education from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Arts in Special Education from Memphis State University. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Rachel Littleton Livingston and Rebecca Littleton Miller. She is survived by her husband, Richard Granbery Hastings, III; her daughter, Rachel Rebecca Hastings Lambert (Dalton), of Abita Springs, and their children, Dalton Grant Lambert, Jr., Clark Baudier Lambert, Graves Bransford Lambert, and Lee Hastings Lambert; and her son, Richard Granbery Hastings, IV (Salli Lewis), of Pisgah Forest, NC, and their children, Stro Granbery Hastings and Mary Ella Littleton Hastings. A lifelong Presbyterian, Mary Ruth ran the kitchen on mission trips to Mexico and youth ski trips to Colorado, conducted weekly women's Bible studies, and enjoyed leading children's and youth activities in churches in Memphis TN; Augusta, GA; Edmond, OK; and Covington, LA. In Memphis, she led a major fundraising event for Subsidium, the Women's Auxiliary of the Memphis Oral School for the Deaf. In Augusta, her Girl Scout troop's cookie sale profits funded a troop tent camping trip to Disney World. She was the driving force behind the establishment of Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, serving on its founding Board of Directors and continuing volunteer service in the family selection process. In 1995, she received the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award in recognizing her work with Habitat. After moving to Abita Springs in 1996, she continued her decades of community and youth activities at Covington Presbyterian Church and in the Abita Springs PTAs, coupled with a strong focus on special time with her grandchildren. With her husband, Dick, she made fifteen trips to Disney World, each trip including one, two, three, or four grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Covington Presbyterian Church, 222 S. Jefferson, Covington, LA 70433, on Sunday, April 2, at 5:00 p.m., followed by visitation and reception at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to be used for a future memorial garden or for the purchase of new hymnals in Mary Ruth’s memory. An online guest book is available at www.neptunesociety.com/location/new-orleans.cremation. Arrangements entrusted to NEPTUNE SOCIETY OF NEW ORLEANS, 3801 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70065. 504-464-3095.