Ruth Ernestene Adams

Ruth Ernestene Weddington Adams, 90, formerly of Hogtown Ridge in Rowan County, passed away on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, in Pasco County, Florida, after a brief illness.

Born on March 26, 1935, Ernestene was the youngest child of the late Sanford Bailey "Champ" and Dora Ward Weddington of Little Sandy in Elliott County, where she grew up and graduated from Sandy Hook High School.

She was a wonderful and beloved mother, family member, and friend who looked for beauty and the good in all people and things. Known for her kindness, warm smile, and hospitality, she loved gardening and colorful flowers, church, yard sales, bluegrass music, cats and dogs, sewing, walks, and homemaking.

For many years, Ernestene especially enjoyed hosting family and friends on her front porch on Hogtown Ridge. They would spend hours sipping on ice-cold grape Kool-Aid or a Pepsi and sampling her tasty homemade desserts. Her specialties included delicious chocolate cake with white icing, fruit cake, and Italian cream cake.

Throughout her life, she was blessed with remarkably good health and high energy. Even in later years, she rarely napped and ate all the sweets she wanted. Only weeks before her passing, she took long walks and could "do just about anything I've ever been able to do."

Ernestene was preceded in death by her husband of more than 60 years, Carl Emory Adams, who passed away at age 85 on January 26, 2015; brothers Gene and Lonnie Weddington and sister Inez Weddington Redwine; and a grandson, Joshua Tyler Adams, whose birthday was the day after hers.

She is survived by two sons in Florida that she called "her world": Jackie Adams of Wesley Chapel and Joe Adams of the Orlando area. She also leaves a granddaughter, Jordan Adams, and two grandsons, David Adams and Paul Adams. Ernestene is also survived by various nieces and nephews and by at least two loving admirers who regarded her as a second mother: daughter-in-law Sheila Adams and a special friend, Diana Hopper. Ernestene was also like a dear close sister to her sister in-law, Delores Adams Flannery.

A member of the Church of Christ, Ernestene made friends wherever she attended services, including the Owingsville Church of Christ where she worshipped before moving to Florida after Emory's death.

Visitation at the Lewis and Ferguson Funeral Home in Sandy Hook will be at noon on Saturday, November 22, followed by her service at 2 p.m. Joe Adams will officiate. Burial will follow in the Elliott County Memory Gardens.

A special thanks to pallbearers Johnny Redwine, Greg Flannery, Anthony Flannery, Jon Curtis Flannery, Adam Weddington, Daniel Weddington, and Ronnie Bailey.