Ruth "Stanley" Summerlin

Ruth (Stanley) Summerlin, 76, of Gainesville, GA, passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 24, 2026, after losing a valiant battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

Born Ruth Grechia Stanley in Chattanooga, TN, on April 13, 1949, to Elmer and Geraldine ("Jerry") Stanley, she grew up in their loving family in Buckhead with her sisters Bonnie and Grechia. She attended Dykes High School, where she was a cheerleader and was chosen as Miss Dykes in her senior year, graduating in the Class of 1967. She went on to study Education at the University of Georgia, from which she graduated in 1970. A proud Phi Mu, she rooted for the Dawgs like nobody's business. Shortly after graduating, she married her college sweetheart, Gilbert ("Gil") Stacy, and began teaching in Jackson County, GA.

A few years later, she and Gil moved to Savannah, GA. Ruth loved the water and spent much of her recreational time boating, fishing, and water skiing. While in Savannah, she went on to earn her Master's degree in Education at Georgia Southern University and later her Doctorate in Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Ruth subsequently remarried – first to Roland ("Sonny") Denmark, Jr. of Savannah, and then to William ("Billy") Summerlin, also of Savannah, with whom she was blessed by the arrival of their beloved daughter, Catherine.

In 1991, Ruth, Billy, and Catherine moved to Hilton Head, SC. Four years later, Ruth became the Principal of Beaufort Elementary School, a Title 1 school in Beaufort, SC, serving predominantly low-income children that was ranked one of the 200 worst schools in the state. There, Ruth designed and implemented a five-year improvement plan that succeeded so dramatically that it transformed the school into a National Blue Ribbon School and began attracting students from private academies and other suburban schools. In recognition of her achievement, she was named Principal of the Year for the United States by President Bill Clinton and welcomed as his guest at the State of the Union address in 2000.

Ruth and Catherine later left the coast and returned to the Atlanta area. Ruth became the Principal of Bascomb Elementary School in Woodstock, GA, which then also earned the distinction of becoming a National Blue Ribbon School prior to Ruth's retirement in 2007. In the ensuing years, Ruth worked as a School Improvement Specialist for the State of Georgia, taught at the International Student Center, and was a part-time professor at Piedmont College – teaching teachers, of course.

In 2008, Ruth met her life partner, Clyde Morris, Jr. She and Clyde shared a wonderful life together, living on Lake Lanier and traveling extensively, both domestically and internationally.

Ruth is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Catherine and Robert Flanigan of Cumming, GA, and their two adorable children Ava Ruth, her namesake, and Liam Clifton; her sister and brother-in-law Bonnie and Johnny Martin of Gainesville, GA; her sister and brother-in-law Grechia and George DeVito of St. Augustine, FL; her life partner Clyde Morris of Gainesville, GA; her step-son and his wife Ted and Tabitha Summerlin of Wilmington, NC; her step-daughter and her husband Allison and Stephen ReVille of Raleigh, NC; her cousin Lane Long of Sandy Springs, GA; and many wonderful nieces and nephews: Taylor and Emily Martin of Cumming, GA; Kendley and John Heffner of Dunwoody, GA; Leslie and Jeff Williams of Gainesville, GA; Danny and Ali DeVito of St. Augustine, FL; Katie and Shane Manire of Simpsonville, SC; and Kyle and Susanna DeVito of Smyrna, GA.

Ruth will be remembered for her vibrant personality, her eternally sweet and sunny disposition, and her unwaveringly positive outlook on life. She wanted to live life to the fullest - and she succeeded. She spent her life loving and devoting her time to everyone around her - friends, students, and most of all, her daughter, Catherine.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the near future for which the time, place, and date will be posted here. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ruth's memory to the Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org, Reach Out and Read at www.reachoutandread.org, La Amistad (Donation Page in Memory of Ruth Stanley Summerlin) at https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/adaptive-donor-form/?formId=9a8c6d5f-eff7-4e88-88dc-351da0e0e97e&envid=p-J6VtHPftFEOxroB7yRM5OQ&zone=usa or other medical research or education non-profit of your choosing.

Condolences may be expressed at www.beardenfuneralhome.com.

Bearden Funeral Home, Dawsonville, GA