Mary "Ruth" Strickland

Alabama. Ruth was born on December 19, 1923, in Lomax, Alabama, to Reverend Daniel Lee

and Ola Hayes Smith. She met Robert L. Strickland, Sr. in Hartford, Alabama, in 1942, and they

were married on March 17, 1943. Ruth served as a nurse aid in the hospital in Hartford during

World War II, and she and Robert made Montgomery their permanent home after Robert

returned from serving in Europe in the US Army Air Corps in World War II.

Ruth had a long career as an accountant for the State of Alabama working at the Capitol until

she retired in 1990. Ruth was a wonderful hostess always making guests feel welcome. She

loved spending time with family and friends and relaxing at Lake Martin and on the Florida

beaches. After retirement, she became an enthusiastic art student and won many awards for

her oil paintings.

Ruth was a devout Christian and through the years a faithful member of many churches

including Highland Avenue Baptist, Dalraida Baptist, and Taylor Road Baptist. She especially

loved being a Sunday School teacher for 5th-7th grade girls at both Highland Avenue and

Dalraida for many years.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Robert L. Strickland, Sr.; her parents; her sisters, Damaris Nivette, Pauline Wirth, Alice Gerone Smith, and Maycelle Hoeger; and

her brother, Lee Smith Jr.

She is survived by her daughters, Deborah Culver (Wayne) and Sandy McRae (Randy); and son, Bob Strickland, (Donna); granddaughters, Julie Culver, Margaret Smith (Josh), and

Caitlin McRae; grandson, Trip Strickland (Crystal); and great-grandsons, Soren Knudsen

and Henry and Grayson Smith. Ruth is also survived by her brothers, James (Dot) and Ross Smith; sisters, Rachel Mishoe, Colleen Cruce, and Annette DePoe (Al); her brother-in-law, John Hoeger; her sister-in-law, Ruth Edna Smith, and many beloved nieces and

nephews.

Visitation will be held at Leak Memory Chapel on Saturday, September 8, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. with a Memorial Service at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Warren Culver officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Serenity Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials made be made in Ruth’s memory to your favorite charity.