Ruthie Mae (Walls) Swint

On February 26, 1947 in the tiny, southern town of Devereux, Georgia, one of God’s perfect angels was born.  Ruthie Mae was born to her mother Agnes M. (Harris) Walls, and father Dollie Doll Walls.  She was the second child out of four, and eldestdaughter.  Her siblings included brother Emanuel (a.k.a. Soup), and sisters Fannie Mae (a.k.a. Fannie) and Dorothy Lee (a.k.a. Dot).  Ruthie would be known to many as Ruth, Tut, Mother, Ms. Ruthie, and by her four children as momma, mom, and mommy.

Ruthie was a child who experienced health challenges early on as a childhood diabetic.  She missed many days from school her first few years of elementary trying to manage the difficulties of this disease.  Her beautiful mother would leave this world all too soon, leaving Ruth without a mother at the young age of nine.  God knew that Ruthie would be on a very special assignment that only few would get to experience.  She became independent as a child and took on the role of a caretaker for her siblings.  She would learn to cook for the family, and maintain a clean home.  The responsibilities that she held would develop her into the amazing woman we all grew to know.

During Ruthie’s high school years, she was a top performer in her Home Economics class, mastering how to sew and cook.  However, Ruthie was mainly known for her inner beauty, as well as outer beauty.  She would later be offered a modeling contract and opportunity to model for magazines such as Jet and Ebony.  But, after meeting the love of her life, Willie C. Swint, Sr. (a.k.a. Swint), Ruthie made the decision to become a wife and mother instead of pursuing a modeling career.  Ruthie graduated from Hancock Central High School in May of 1967, and on August 6, 1967, married her life-time soul mate and began a life as a devoted wife, mother, and everlasting friend.

Ruthie had her first child, Jr., in 1969.  During that time, her husband Willie would shortly be off to battle in the Vietnam War.  When he returned from war, Ruthie had already gained experience and shown evidence of being able to “hold things down” when necessary.  In 1972, she would have a second son, Anthony.  Three years later, her third child, Phillip (Kelvin), would arrive trailing the path of his brothers.  By 1976, Ruthie and Willie would finalize their family with the birth of their only daughter, Nikki (Jennifer).  She would later get to travel the world as a wife of an enlisted Army soldier.

Ruthie was a full-time mother who stayed at home to raise her children until they entered into elementary school.  While living in Germany, she became a secretary of a day care, and continued in clerical positions for many years while taking breaks returning to the position as a stay-at-home mom as often as necessary.  Ruthie would later become employed with AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service) as a top sales associate presented with a plethora of awards, recognitions, and honors.  

In addition to being a wife and mom, Ruthie was a dedicated server for Christ.  She was actively involved in the church teaching children’s Sunday school, serving as a church mother, and volunteering in outreach and hospitality ministries.  She would often visit nursing homes, bringing to the patients gift baskets, home cooked meals, and most of all her love and compassion.  Ruthie was a woman with an overflowing heart.  She would give her last and never complain.  She taught her children how to serve others unconditionally with pride, dignity, love.  She never met a stranger, and a stranger would never leave the encounter of Ruthie without knowing who her master was, Jesus Christ.  Ruth later became an active member of the Order of the Eastern Star (OES), where she continued on with charitable works and contributions.

One of the many things Ruthie was known for was her gift of cooking.  She would put restaurants to shame with how well she would throw down in the kitchen.  She cooked a hot breakfast and dinner every single day, including weekends.  All of her children’s friends would come over to the house just to eat.  Ms. Ruthie would make the best squash casserole, sweet potato pie, lasagna, fried chicken, collard greens… anything southern.  The love she poured into her cooking was the same love she poured into others.

In 2016, Ruthie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.Unfortunately, this would begin a long, difficult journey of the decline of the woman people once knew.  Although her body and mind significantly regressed, her spirit and faith never left her.  Ruthie would still sing to the tunes of her favorite gospel singers, and reference how good God is.  She taught her family the true meaning of faith and perseverance. Up until the days she could no longer speak, Ruthie began preparing her husband and children for the day she would no longer be with them, for she knew this day would be hard.  She knew there would be tears and sadness.  She knew there would be pain.  But she also knew, as she often spoke, of a living God.  A God who would not leave us nor forsake us.  A God whose mercy and love endures forever.  A God she always prayed would always protect her family and keep them close to His heart.  For her prayers have not gone unanswered.  Ruthie peacefully transitioned to the Kingdom of Heaven surrounded by family and friends in her home.  She is now reunited with her first born, Jr., her mother and father, several aunts and uncles, 3 sister-in-laws and 4 brother-in-laws, two nephews, and a hosts of cousins and friends.  She leaves behind in this world the following:  her loving and faithful husband of 54 years, Reverend Willie C. Swint, Sr.; her sons Anthony (Loretta) Swint and Colonel Kelvin (Jenny) Swint; daughter Jennifer Swint; grandsons Kyle (April) Stanfield and Austin Swint; granddaughter Jaliyah Brown and Kennedy Swint; great-grandsons Bryson Kase Stanfield and Oliver “Ollie” Lane Stanfield; brother Emanuel (Ola) Walls; sisters Dorothy (Charles) Smith, and Fannie Mae (Bruce) Clayton; brother-in-laws Kenneth (Willie Mae) Reaves, Johnny Reaves; Cecil (Lisa) Reaves; sister-in-laws Melvyn A. Brown, Lannie Lewis, Susie (Melvin) Gunn, Agnes (Kenneth) Washington, and Tara B. Worthen; and a host of nieces and nephews.  A special recognition is left to Minnie & McKesson Stafford who referred to Ruthie as “Mother”, and to Mrs. Rosalyn Joseph, Ruthie’s care-taker in the end.

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