Ruth Mcclintock Carnall

August 22, 1917 — August 6, 2008

Ruth Carnal lived her first 18 years in Winner, South Dakota. It was a harsh and unforgiving place and she grew up working hard every day next to her stepfather, Robert on the farm. She loved those times, riding her horse Chuck, driving tractors and taking care of the animals. It gave her strength throughout the rest of her life that amazed us all and that we often envied. She found her calling in Omaha, Nebraska, where she attended nurse's training at Creighton University. In those days a girl could be either a teacher or a nurse. She didn't care much for children, so she decided on nursing. It turned out to be a perfect choice. Before marrying Fred, she spent a couple of years working as a nurse on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. After they moved to California, she had a fifty year career as a psychiatric nurse. She was a natural listener and knew just how to help people face their demons without ever being judgmental. Though she wasn't so sure she wanted to be around children, when she started having her own, she loved them fiercely. She was a no-nonsense Mom and instilled in them the values that she cherished: honesty, empathy and hard work. She had always had a love of learning, and she did all she could to give each of them a good education. She and Fred enjoyed traveling around the country, at first mostly driving to visit relatives and then to State and National Parks and all manner of scenic wonders. They rafted down the Colorado River together and spent many wonderful days sailing on the Pacific Ocean. When she was at home, she could often be found in the garden, making her arid Southern California backyard into an oasis of fruits, vegetables and flowers. After Fred died, in 1998, she continued to travel on her own to even more exotic places: Costa Rica, Mexico, and even China. Her love of learning also continued as she took classes in History, Geography and Spanish. In 2003 she moved to Decatur, Georgia, to be closer to her daughter, Jean. She found a whole new group of friends at Regency House, where she lived. She had new bridge partners and book club friends and plenty of activities to keep her on the go and, as always, learning new things. She took advantage of it all, never looking back at what she missed from the past but always appreciating what she had in the present. She moved on from this life on August 6, 2008, two weeks before her 91st birthday. She will be missed by her four children, seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren as well as numerous others whose lives she has touched. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 9^th at 11:00 in the chapel of A. S. Turner & Sons. Rev. Larry Burgess will officiate. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service on Saturday.

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Ruth Mcclintock Carnall

August 22, 1917 — August 6, 2008

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