BENTON -- Ruth I. Smith, 72, passed away Tuesday morning, Jan. 17, 2017, in SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon.
Ruth was born Sept. 30, 1944, in West Frankfort, the daughter of Charles and Margaret (Cable) Murphy.
She attended Unity Free Will Baptist Church in West Frankfort.
Ruth retired from Franklin Hospital after 20 years of service.
Survivors include four sons, Dwane Smith and wife Becky, David Smith, Donald Smith and Dennis Smith and wife Teri, all of Benton; seven grandchildren, Brandon and Angie Smith, Jesse Smith, Steven and Lindsey Smith, Stephanie Smith and William and Hannah Smith, all of Benton, David and Christy Smith of Zeigler and Shawn Paul and Aaliyah Bull of Tennessee; three great-grandchildren, Jersey Smith, Elarah Smith and Alithia Bull; two sisters, Janet Bird of Zeigler and Margaret Dunham of West Frankfort; and two brothers, Lenard Murphy and Don Murphy, both of West Frankfort.
She was preceded in death by her parents; first child, an infant daughter, Teresa A. Smith; and 15 brothers and sisters.
Memorial services will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, in Unity Free Will Baptist Church, 601 S. Monroe St., in West Frankfort with Pastor Ben Eldridge officiating. Burial will be at a later date in East Fork Church Cemetery in West Frankfort. Visitation will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the church.
For those who wish, memorials may be made to the family to help with expenses and will be accepted at the church on Thursday evening or may be mailed to Morton and Johnston Funeral Home, 410 S. Main St., Benton, IL 62812.
For more information or to sign the online guest register, visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com.
