Ruth Harder Turnbow, age 102, of Stanleytown, Virginia, passed away Sunday, September 13, 2020.

She was born May 7, 1918, the daughter of the late James Andrew and Amanda Ardella Victoria Edwards Harder.

Ruth graduated from Linden High School. She attended George Peabody College for Teachers, which later became part of Vanderbilt University. During World War II, she began her teaching career which extended for eight years. She returned to the family farm, a designated Century Farm, to help her father.

Ruth became a businesswoman who owned and operated a local shoe store, Turnbow Shoe Shop, with her husband for many years in Hohenwald. Ruth was a long-time member of Warren Methodist Church in Linden, and a member of the Stanleytown United Methodist Church in Stanleytown, Virginia.

While on the farm, Ruth enjoyed raising chickens and ducks, driving tractors and planting vegetables and flowers. At the age of 91, Ruth moved to Virginia to be closer to her beloved boys, her brothers, Albert and Lloyd. She had raised these two as her children after their mother died. The siblings enjoyed picnics, birthday parties, Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas celebrations.

In 2015, Ruth was selected cook of the week. She was renowned for her jellies and jams. Ruth had recipes published in cookbooks in Tennessee and Virginia. She was also famed for her hand-stitched quilts which she would gift to family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings, Raymond Harder, Faye Harder Warren, William Albert Harder, and Lloyd Noah Harder; and her husband, Ward Turnbow.

She is survived by eight nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2020 at Swiss Cemetery in Hohenwald. A memorial service will be held at Stanleytown United Methodist Church in Stanleytown, Virginia at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ruth’s memory to the Perry County Genealogy Room of Perry County Historical Society, 104 College Avenue, Linden, Tennessee 37096 or to Stanleytown United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 206, Stanleytown, Virginia 24168.

Norris Funeral Services, Inc. and Crematory of Martinsville, Virginia assisted the Turnbow family with arrangements.