Obituary of Mary Ruth Griffin Reames MARY RUTH GRIFFIN REAMES Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - February 24, 1999 Mary Ruth Griffin Reames, 87, beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister, died Monday, Feb. 22, 1999, at Southampton Memorial Hospital, Franklin. Born March 31, 1911, in Red Oak, N.C., she was the daughter of the late John William and Mary Jones Griffin. She had been a resident of Branchville, Va., from 1939 to 1998 when she moved to Boykins. An active and concerned member of her church and community, she was a devoted member of Branchville Baptist Church for many years and had taught in the Adult Sunday School Department of the church. She had served as the Officer of Election for the Branchville voting precinct for over 30 years and as a member of the Auxiliary of the Branchville Volunteer Fire Department. She had worked as a bookkeeper for Branchville Machinery Co. and Darden & Son Store. She was the widow of Gladys W. ''G.W.'' Reames and was predeceased by a son, PFC William David Reames, who was killed while serving in the Army in the Korean War, a brother, Arthur Griffin, and daughter-in-law, Zara Nell Reames. A concerned, faithful and loving family member throughout her life, she is survived by two sons, Bobby Ray Reames and his special friend, Jean Fuller, of Rocky Mount, N.C., and H. Wayne Reames and his wife, Janice, who was more like a daughter than a daughter-in-law to Mrs. Reames, of Boykins; two sisters, Lizzie Mae Griffin of Red Oak, N.C., and Olivia Griffin Harris of Richmond; five grandchildren, Kelly Ruth Reames, Kristie R. Ward and her husband, Chad, William David Reames, Linda R. Umphlette and her husband, Randy, and Sandra R. Bass and her husband, Jerry; and five great-grandchildren, Joshua Ezzell, Elizabeth Ezzell, Joseph Daughtridge, Candace Daughtridge and Miranda Umphlette; and many special family members and friends. The Rev. Thomas Caulkins will hold a funeral service at 11 a.m. Thursday in Purviance Funeral Home, Boykins. Burial will be in Beechwood Cemetery, Boykins. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today at the funeral home and other times at the residence of Wayne and Janice. Memorial donations may be made to the Branchville Volunteer Fire Department or to the Boykins Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad. Edition: FINAL Page: B9 Copyright (c) 1999 The Virginian-Pilot ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ––– Narrative Summary of the Obituary ––– Mary Ruth Griffin Reames, 87, of Boykins, Virginia, died 22 Feb 1999 at Southampton Memorial Hospital in Franklin. She was born 31 Mar 1911 in Red Oak, North Carolina. The funeral for Mary Ruth Griffin Reames was held 25 Feb 1999 at Purviance Funeral Home in Boykins, officiated by Rev. Thomas Caulkins, with burial in Beechwood Cemetery, Boykins. ––– Transcript ––– MARY RUTH GRIFFIN REAMES Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - February 24, 1999 Mary Ruth Griffin Reames, 87, beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister, died Monday, Feb. 22, 1999, at Southampton Memorial Hospital, Franklin. Born March 31, 1911, in Red Oak, N.C., she was the daughter of the late John William and Mary Jones Griffin. She had been a resident of Branchville, Va., from 1939 to 1998 when she moved to Boykins. An active and concerned member of her church and community, she was a devoted member of Branchville Baptist Church for many years and had taught in the Adult Sunday School Department of the church. She had served as the Officer of Election for the Branchville voting precinct for over 30 years and as a member of the Auxiliary of the Branchville Volunteer Fire Department. She had worked as a bookkeeper for Branchville Machinery Co. and Darden & Son Store. She was the widow of Gladys W. "G.W." Reames and was predeceased by a son, PFC William David Reames, who was killed while serving in the Army in the Korean War, a brother, Arthur Griffin, and daughter-in-law, Zara Nell Reames. A concerned, faithful and loving family member throughout her life, she is survived by two sons, Bobby Ray Reames and his special friend, Jean Fuller, of Rocky Mount, N.C., and H. Wayne Reames and his wife, Janice, who was more like a daughter than a daughter-in-law to Mrs. Reames, of Boykins; two sisters, Lizzie Mae Griffin of Red Oak, N.C., and Olivia Griffin Harris of Richmond; five grandchildren, Kelly Ruth Reames, Kristie R. Ward and her husband, Chad, William David Reames, Linda R. Umphlette and her husband, Randy, and Sandra R. Bass and her husband, Jerry; and five great-grandchildren, Joshua Ezzell, Elizabeth Ezzell, Joseph Daughtridge, Candace Daughtridge and Miranda Umphlette; and many special family members and friends. The Rev. Thomas Caulkins will hold a funeral service at 11 a.m. Thursday in Purviance Funeral Home, Boykins. Burial will be in Beechwood Cemetery, Boykins. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today at the funeral home and other times at the residence of Wayne and Janice. Memorial donations may be made to the Branchville Volunteer Fire Department or to the Boykins Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad. ––– Vital Statistics ––– |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Field | Value | | Name | Mary Ruth Griffin Reames | | Age | 87 years | | Birth | 31 March 1911; Red Oak, North Carolina | | Death | 22 February 1999; Southampton Memorial Hospital, Franklin, Virginia | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| ––– Table of Relationships ––– |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Name | Relationship | Residence | | Mary Ruth Griffin Reames | Decedent | Boykins, Virginia | | Gladys W. "G.W." Reames | Husband (deceased) | — | | John William Griffin | Father (deceased) | — | | Mary Jones Griffin | Mother (deceased) | — | | PFC William David Reames | Son (deceased) | — | | Bobby Ray Reames | Son | Rocky Mount, North Carolina | | Jean Fuller | Friend of son | Rocky Mount, North Carolina | | H. Wayne Reames | Son | Boykins, Virginia | | Janice Reames | Daughter-in-law | Boykins, Virginia | | Lizzie Mae Griffin | Sister | Red Oak, North Carolina | | Olivia Griffin Harris | Sister | Richmond, Virginia | | Kelly Ruth Reames | Grandchild | — | | Kristie R. Ward | Grandchild | — | | Chad Ward | Grandson-in-law | — | | William David Reames | Grandchild | — | | Linda R. Umphlette | Grandchild | — | | Randy Umphlette | Grandson-in-law | — | | Sandra R. Bass | Grandchild | — | | Jerry Bass | Grandson-in-law | — | | Joshua Ezzell | Great-grandchild | — | | Elizabeth Ezzell | Great-grandchild | — | | Joseph Daughtridge | Great-grandchild | — | | Candace Daughtridge | Great-grandchild | — | | Miranda Umphlette | Great-grandchild | — | | Rev. Thomas Caulkins | Officiant | — | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| ––– Publication Details ––– |--------------------------------| | Field | Value | | Location | Norfolk, Virginia | | Name | The Virginian-Pilot | | Date | 24 February 1999 | | Edition | Final | | Page | B9 | |--------------------------------| ––– Other Relevant Information ––– • Member of Branchville Baptist Church • Taught in the Adult Sunday School Department • Officer of Election for over 30 years • Member of the Auxiliary of the Branchville Volunteer Fire Department • Bookkeeper for Branchville Machinery Co. and Darden & Son Store • Birth name was Mary Ruth Griffin [Contributed by Bruce Saunders, bs4403@verizon.net] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may have contributed to the creation of this text. 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