Mrs. Ruth Jeanette Swims

January 5, 1940 - May 3, 2022

SWIMS, Mrs. Ruth J. - Age 82, passed away Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at Ohio State University Hospital, Columbus, OH. Family hour 10:00 AM Monday, May 16, 2022 from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the Funeral Home, 10:00 AM Monday. Mrs. Swims will lie in state at Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home. There will be no public viewing. Ruth Jeanette Swims was born January 5, 1940, in Carrollton, Mississippi to Andrew Jackson and Elma Ruth Waters. Although she technically wasn’t the youngest of her six siblings, she was affectionately known by her family as “Baby Sister.” Ruth married George Swims in 1958 and soon after they moved North to Flint, Michigan for better opportunities. From this union, their daughters Terry, Johanna, Anetta and Margaret were born.  Ruth accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior at an early age. She loved the Lord and was a devoted member of Foss Avenue Baptist Church until she relocated to Westerville, Ohio.   Ruth worked tirelessly to create a loving home for her family. From homecooked meals and volunteering at school to making handmade Easter baskets and traveling across the state just to curl her grandbaby’s hair for special occasions, Ruth was dedicated to her family. She nurtured unique relationships with each of her children and grandchildren based on what she knew they needed. No two relationships were the same, but each of them was special. While Ruth had her hands full caring for her family, she still found room in her heart to mother so many others. Her love knew no limits and she would often say she was the “mother of all mothers.” And she was. People gravitated toward Ruth. She was the perfect combination of classy and down to Earth. Everyone loved that they could be authentic with her and she would meet them where they were and love them for who they were.  Ruth loved cooking, crocheting beautiful blankets, gardening, putting together puzzles, coloring, shopping, traveling first-class with her family and being the life of the party at family celebrations. Ruth loved her family fiercely and sacrificed so much for their happiness and well-being. She was unapologetic about doing things her way, even down to her transition. Ruth was surrounded by her family until she took her last breath, just like she wanted.  Ruth would end every call or visit with children and grandchildren by saying, “I love you.” When they responded with “I love you more,” she would always rush to say, “Impossible!”  Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Elma Waters; sisters, Laverne Clarke, Doris Evans and Carolyn Robinson; brother, Jack Waters; daughter, Johanna Massey; and grandson, Quintin Breyon LeFlore.  Ruth Jeanette Swims leaves to cherish her memory: daughters, Terry Swims of Flint, Michigan, Anetta (Keith) Speed of Westerville, Ohio, Margaret (Thurman) Taylor of Caledonia, Michigan; stepson, Michael Conerly of Frisco, Texas; son-in-law, Calvin Massey of Grand Blanc, Michigan; brother, Otis (Pat) Waters of Portland, Oregon; Iola Payne Ward of Portland, Oregon; grandchildren, Khadija Swims, Keionnie (Adrian) Owens, Ashley (Ryann) Lee, Kendra (Charles) Brown, Keith Speed, Alana Taylor, Paris Henderson, Alesha (Thomas) Hendricks, Tori Henderson, Alexandria Speed, Krystal Conerly, Mekeva Conerly, Travon Fountain, Tyeion Norton, Germani Jacobs and Geriyah Jacobs; great-grandchildren, Braxton Owens, Lyric Allums, Aubrey LeFlore, Zoe Henderson-Atkins, Kaiden Clark, Ayden Taylor, Alexander Owens, Cairo Brown and Thomas Hendricks III; and a host of special nieces, nephews and family friends.