Julia Ruth Olhausen

Ruth Carter Olhausen passed away December 1, 2011 at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living Facility in Raleigh, NC. Graveside services will be 11 AM, December 7, 2011 at New Haven Cemetery, Ridgely, TN. Curry Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Ruth was born April 3, 1912, the daughter of Joe and Varina Carter of Wynnburg, TN. She was the widow of Colonel James Norman Olhausen of Ridgely, TN, the love of her life, whom she married May 18, 1934. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Ann and Bruce McDaniel of Raleigh, NC and her daughter-in-law, Jackie, Mrs. James Norman Olhausen, Jr. of Sandy, UT, five grandchildren, Clayton McDaniel, Noel McDaniel Currin, wife of Kevin Currin, Scott McDaniel, Heather Olhausen Roth, Jillian Olhausen and four great-grandsons, Nathan and Issac McDaniel, twin 15 year olds, and Vincent (12) and Devon (10) McDaniel. Her son James Norman Olhausen, Jr. preceded her in death in 2002. Ruth was on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 where her husband Jim was stationed. She was evacuated back to the US with dependent families. She loved poetry and read it to her children instead of Mother Goose. When they were stationed in Istanbul, Turkey, Ruth would out bargain the merchants in the Grand Bazaar. She often lectured on her experiences in Pearl Harbor, her travels and flower arranging. She was active in First Baptist Church of Jonesboro, AR where the family settled when Jim retired from the Army in 1967. Jim began his second career as business manager for Holy Angels Convent which owned St. Bernard's Hospital in Jonesboro. Ruth was active in the local women's garden club and enjoyed Japanese flower arranging. After Jim's death in 1983 she became a Sigma Pi sweetheart at Arkansas State University and established a scholarship for Sigma Pi freshmen. She was an avid gardener, a great storyteller and the keeper of oral family history. She was the world's loudest football fan. She loved being in her garden barefooted on summer days. The family request that all memorials be directed to the Joe Carter Scholarship Fund c/o Wynnburg Baptist Church, P. O. Box 95, Wynnburg, TN 38077.