Ruth Renfro Cross

Visitation will be held at Lloyd James Funeral Home for Ruth Renfro Cross from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Friday, May 22, 2020. Ruth passed away on May 19 at Park Place Nursing Home, 17 days shy of her 102nd birthday.

She was born in Henderson, Rusk County on June 5, 1918 to Luther Paul Renfro and Forrest Annie Harvey Renfro. She grew up in Rusk and Smith Counties with her 7 siblings: Cavie, Madress, Jean, Grover, Louise, Ferris and Albert. She attended school at Gaston, and when she was in the third grade, the family came to the Chapel Hill area in a horse drawn wagon.

She attended Bascom School and graduated from Tyler High School. She married F. H. Massey in 1935 and they had a daughter, Bobbie. Three years after his death, she and Bobbie were joined in marriage to E. L. Cross. Two sons, Newt and Jerry were born to complete the family.

The family settled in Chapel Hill and Ruth's life as a mother and community leader began. She opened her cafe in 1951 and served countless hamburgers to school kids and countless meals to residents and friends. Ruth was a part of the growth of the Chapel Hill community and a founding member of the Chapel Hill Volunteer Fire Department.

She saw the first Chapel Hill school built and was there when the great live oak tree that stands in front of the school was planted. The Chapel Hill PTA, 4-H Club and the Future Farmers of America have honored her with lifetime memberships. In 1979, she was nominated as "Outstanding Older Texan of Smith County" by the Governor's Council on Aging.

During her active community days, Ruth made many, many friends and loved them everyone. She is survived by brother, Albert Renfro and wife Ann; daughter, Bobbie Tate; son, Newt Cross and wife Pam; son, Jerry Cross and wife Linda; grandchildren Thad Tate and wife Linda, Jim Cross and wife Pam, Jeff Cross, Christy Conte and husband Wayne, Amber Payne and husband Ryan, Michele Arthur and husband Daniel, Suzanne Shelton, Kelly Cross and wife Shelley. She has 19 great grandchildren, 12 great-great grandchildren, 2 great-great-great grandchildren and scores of nieces and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, first husband, F. H. Massey and husband, E. L. Cross, siblings Paul Renfro, Cavie Renfro, Madress Mitchell, Jean Sanders, Grover Renfro, Ferris Renfro, Louise Griffin, son-in-law, Otis Tate and grandson, Trent Tate.

The family will have a private funeral at the gravesite.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Williams Cemetery Association, Chapel Hill Volunteer Fire Department or Heart to Heart Hospice.

The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to Ruth's caregivers Mary, Carol, Colleen and Regina and to the staff of Park Place Nursing Home for their loving care and devotion.