Ruth Ellen Hardwick

CLEVELAND — Ruth Ellen (Pellen) Hardwick, 86, passed away on Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. She was born on Feb. 20, 1930, to Dr. Carl Thomas Speck Sr. and Mary Ruth Johnston Speck in Cleveland, Tenn. She was the youngest of five children. The first-born daughter, Ruth, died as an infant and the third born son, little Joe, died when he was just five. Pellen grew up with her two brothers, Thomas and George. She attended Arnold Elementary school and then graduated high school from GPS in Chattanooga. She attended Chevy Chase College in Washington, D.C. for two years and then her junior and senior years she attended UNC Chapel Hill where she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. She worked at her father's hospital, the Speck Hospital, until 1957. She married Cicero McCutchen (Mac) Hardwick Jr. on Sept. 27, 1956. Together they had three children Ellen, Mary, and Cicero. Pellen was an active and devoted volunteer receiving many awards and recognitions for her work. She served on the budget committee for the Community Chest later named the United Way, was on the Board of United Council of United Services, worked with the Girl Scouts as a board member and troop leader. She volunteered with the Red Cross for many years as a CPR and First Aid instructor and instructor trainer, also serving as a member of the Disaster Services team and Board of Directors. She was a member of Broad Street United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir and was an active member in her church community. Pellen was devoted to her family and attended a multitude of school and sports events, facilitating music lessons, horseback riding lessons, and tennis lessons to name just a few. She was great fun to laugh with and, of course, play poker with on the porch at High Hampton. She will be deeply missed by her friends and especially by her three children, their spouses, her five grandchildren, and her great-grandson, whom she was able to hold just months before her passing. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Broad Street UMC, Cleveland, Tenn. Visitation will be in the Narthex of the church beginning at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made either to The American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee, 4115 South Access Road, Chattanooga, TN 37406 or Broad Street United Methodist Church, Music and Arts Memorial Fund, 155 Central Ave NW, Cleveland, TN 37311. Companion Funeral Home and the Cody family are honored to assist the family with publishing this obituary.

This obituary was originally published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press.