Mary Ruth Venable
Mary Ruth Venable, 95, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, January 23, 2025, in her longtime home on Signal Mountain. She was surrounded by her family.
The daughter of Walter Griffith Davies and Ruth Johnson Davies, she was born and raised in North Chattanooga. She attended Girls Preparatory School (GPS) when it was located on Vine Street and obtained a bachelor’s degree in teaching at the University of Chattanooga. While there, she became a sister of the Chi Omega sorority. Following her graduation, she taught elementary school in East Lake. After years of courtship during his military service, Mary Ruth married Robert Hann Venable.
Together with Bob, Sr., she raised four children. They explored the Eastern United States out of a pop up camper and picnic basket. They enriched their children with the love of learning, history and culture. She enjoyed hiking, camping, and traveling with family friends, including the Chesters, Franklins, Joneses, McKinseys, Roses, Vieths and others who joined over the years. This included many annual hikes up Mt. LeConte and camping at Periwinkle Park on Sanibel Island for 40 years, a tradition still beloved by their children and grandchildren.
Mary Ruth was a devoted member of First Presbyterian Church, where she took an active role of service including Women in the Church, once serving as president. She loved hosting the annual Singles Ministry Christmas party in her home. Those parties are fondly remembered, especially by the many couples who found their spouses through that ministry. She followed her calling by teaching with the organization Bible in the Schools. This role was so important to her that she returned to school in her 50s to renew her teaching certification in order to continue teaching.
Finding adventure in retirement, Mary Ruth and Bob enjoyed two residencies in Thailand where she struck out on her own in tuk-tuks and water taxis to explore. She learned many delicious recipes which she taught to her family on her return home. A love of spices and rice is a remaining multi-generational influence.
She is remembered by friends and family for her extraordinary graciousness and generosity. She had a timeless elegance. She was a talented seamstress, creating almost all of her clothing from mere ideas she gathered from fashion, without patterns. She practiced God’s presence and demonstrated her dependence on Him daily through much study and prayer. Her love of the Lord was evident to all.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Robert Hann Venable; parents, Walter Griffith (Doc) Davies and Ruth Johnson Davies; her brother, Walter Griffith Davies, Jr.; son, Samuel Byrd Venable and his wife Margaret Browder Venable; daughter-in-law, Roxanne Anderson Venable; and grandson, Sebastian Rombough Venable.
She is survived by her brother, Bob (Bettye) Davies; son, Bob Venable, Jr. (Caroline); daughter, Ruth Venable Ingram; son, Dan Venable (Lisa), 13 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.
The family wants to thank caregivers, Skyller Beason and her mom Kim of Susan Gooden’s Compassionate Care, hospice nurses, Danielle and Cocoa of Gentiva Hospice, Dr. Terry Melvin for her dedicated medical care, and Russell and Ben Friberg of Heritage Funeral Home, Fort Oglethorpe.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at First Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga. Visitation will be starting at 11 a.m. and a reception at the church following the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to First Presbyterian’s Camp Vesper Point or Bible in the Schools.