Ruth R. (Renfer) Smith

LEWISBURG - Ruth R. (Renfer) Smith, 95, formerly of 930 Broadway Road, Milton, died Monday, April 16, 2018 at Heritage Springs Assisted Living Facility, Lewisburg. She was born on November 19, 1922 in Pittston and was the only daughter of the late Oscar and Esther (Hoffman) Renfer. On June 5, 1948 she married the late Richard E. Smith and they celebrated 60 loving years until his death on December 5, 2008. Before moving to Milton, she worked in Pittston at the Insurance Underwriters and later in the business office of the Fox Knapp Manufacturing Co., Pine Grove. After moving to Milton, Ruth worked for several years as a teacher’s aide in the math department of Milton Area Junior High School under the Ford Foundation program. Ruth loved the beach and spent many summers vacationing at the New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware seashores with family and close friends. She and her husband, Richard also enjoyed spending many winters near the ocean in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. She was an avid reader. She also loved tending to her yard, her friends and acquaintances often saw her weeding and trimming away in the front of her Broadway Road home, even as her 90th birthday came and went. Ruth was a member of the Junior Woman’s Club of Pine Grove and Tremont where she served as president and the Junior Woman’s and Women’s Clubs of Milton, where she enjoyed participating in many club activities, events, community service projects and fundraisers. She was a lifelong Lutheran and a member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Milton for over 50 years. One of Ruth’s best-loved pastimes was playing bridge and pinochle. She was a member of several local bridge and pinochle clubs for over 40 years and participated in local bridge tournaments with her husband. Ruth is survived by one daughter and son-in-law; Linda R. and Lee Hess of New Columbia and one granddaughter; Lindsay E. Hess. Memorial contributions may be made to, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 100 Mahoning Street, Milton, PA 17847. A public viewing will be held from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 19, 2018 at Dale Ranck Cremation & Funeral Care, 125 N. Front Street, Milton followed by the funeral at 11:00a.m. with Pastor Mark Galbraith officiating. Burial will take place at a later date in Memorial Shrine Park, Wyoming.