Ruth Baughman

Family-Placed Death Notice

Mrs. Ruth Y. Baughman loved life and all the opportunities and excitement it presented daily. A very giving person, she was a devoted homemaker, loving wife and mother, and for over 60 years was hospital volunteer. Born December 14, 1910 in Swissvale, Pennsylvania, her family moved to Philadelphia when she was a very young child. In 1936, she married U.E. Baughman, an aspiring agent with the U.S. Secret Service who was later in his career to become the thirteenth Chief of the Agency, serving in that capacity for the terms of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and the first year and a half of the Kennedy administration until his retirement in 1961. During their time in Washington, D.C., the opportunities to routinely meet and interact socially with dignitaries from throughout our country and foreign nations presented limitless opportunities to include White House dinners, inaugural events and balls, heads-of state visits and embassy events. Even with these diversions and the many wonderful memories marking these occasions, Ruth's priorities were clearly her husband and son, her volunteer work at local hospitals in Virginia and New Jersey, and involvement in community organizations. In 1963, Ruth and U.E. moved from Arlington to the small borough of Pine Beach in southern New Jersey, where she continued her volunteer work at the Ocean County Hospital, was active in the local yacht club, seniors bowling league, and other varied community activities. Several years following U.E.'s passing in 1978, she moved back to Virginia and selected a retirement residence at the Virginian in Fairfax. Her active lifestyle continued to include her appetite for reading, bridge, attending plays, and travel by cruise ship with her friends. Though vocal about her independence, in 1999 she finally acquiesced to her son's urging and moved to Atlanta, where she resided at the Kings Bridge Retirement Community. Although her lifestyle had slowed, she stopped driving at 89, she continued to be a voracious reader, was active in the Briarcliff Baptist Church Sunday School, was a bingo player par excellence, and loved to competitively match her knowledge against the Millionaire TV show contestants. She is survived by her son and daughter-in law, William and Jerrie, grandchildren, Alana and James of Atlanta, sister-in-law Ada B. Pine of Woodstock, Illinois, brother-in-law James Semmelroth of Scituata, Massachusetts, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Remains were cremated and will later be interred at her husband's resting place at Arlington Cemetery in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "Belief' in the goodness within people, her gracious generosity, an unfaltering optimistic outlook on life no matter the turn, her devotion to family and concern for friends, unselfish thoughtfulness, and strong Christian belief were qualities that ingratiated her to even strangers", according to her son Bill. "For a young girl who experienced the devastating loss of her mother at a very early age, survived the Great Depression and the impact of two world wars", Bill said, "Her amazing faith and positive attitude grew and remained constant. She was truly an angel in our midst"