Ruth Cragg Kight

Our sweet mother, Ruth C. Kight of Marietta, GA passed away peacefully on her 91st birthday, February 2, 2023. She was a kind, loving, strong mother who was always there when we needed her. She was always willing to help friends, family and her community whenever possible.
Ruth was born in New York City, the oldest of three children. She lived in Queens Village, NY until the age of 13 when her father was transferred to Marietta, GA. She graduated from Marietta High School in 1949. She married in 1950, had three children and was divorced in 1960. Ruth was a woman of many talents and while raising her children as a single mother she worked as a policewoman at Montgomery Elementary School, a church secretary at St. Martin in the fields Episcopal Church and an employee of Lord and Taylor. Even though she was working three jobs, she always found time for family and friends. As the children grew older Ruth was church secretary at St. Anne's Episcopal Church until 1973, when she and her youngest son, Mark, moved to Palm Beach Gardens, FL. She worked in Accounting at Pratt Whitney Aircraft where she met her 2nd husband, Richard M. Kight. She often told us of the training they received at Pratt Whitney on how to avoid the alligators in the parking lot by jumping on the nearest car. Ruth and Dick were happily married for five years, until her husband suddenly passed away from a heart attack. She then moved back to Marietta, GA to be close to family. She took a position with Thomas Eye Group where she worked until retirement at the age of 73. To stay busy, she decided to volunteer at Atherton Place Assisted Living to "Help the old folks". She never guessed that she would be living there as one of those older folks one day.
Ruth was preceded in death by her mother, Alice Walton Cragg, father, Fredrick Eugene Cragg, her sister, Constance C. Arnold, brother, Richard Cragg, sister-in-law, Aileen Craig and her husband, Richard M. Kight. She is survived by her son Len Thurmond, daughter Lainey Gaines and son Mark Thurmond (Debbie) and her stepdaughter Patty McMurray (Don). She has ten grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild as well as ten nieces and nephews. Family was everything to Ruth and she loved them all dearly.
While Ruth's family grieves her loss, we choose to remember Ruth in a way that honors her spirit. Her children invite the community to join them in a Celebration of Life Ceremony. It will take place at The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation (1673 Jamerson Road; Marietta, GA 30066) on March 11th, 2023, at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Episcopal Church of Annunciation in her honor.
The dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much she owned, The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how she lived and loved and how she spent her dash.