Ruth Crockarell Adkins passed away peacefully at home on January 6, 2025, after a short illness; she was 90 years old.
Ruth was born in Clarksville, TN, to Lucy (Brewer) and James Crockarell.
She graduated from Clarksville High School in 1953 and held several Senior Superlatives including “Girl Most Likely to Succeed,” “Most Friendly Girl,” and “Most Intelligent Girl.” In the summer of 1954, she went to France as a Community Ambassador as part of the “Experiment in International Living.”
She married R. Benton Adkins, Jr, in 1955, and moved to Nashville where he was a student at Vanderbilt University Medical School (’58). Ruth worked at the Methodist Publishing House and at Vanderbilt University in the Publications Office from 1958-1968. She then took on the challenge of raising 5 children. She was devoted to the Wednesday morning service at St. George’s Episcopal Church and to the Choirs at St. George’s. She served St. George’s as a volunteer bookkeeper and receptionist for many years. Ruth was well known as a generous party hostess, killer bridge player, avid sports enthusiast and witty conversationalist. Known as Miss Ruth, Mom, and Granny, she will be greatly missed by her family and many devoted friends.
Ruth was predeceased by her parents, her sister, Suzy Crockarell, and her husband, Benton.
She is survived by her daughters Lucy Organ, Bess Marshall, Virginia (Jeff) Bailey, her sons Robert Adkins, and Charles (Victoria) Adkins, 10 grandchildren: Elizabeth (Robert) Fudge, Patricia (Jacob) Beckerle, Nancy (Diego Sanchez) Organ, Eleanor (Andrew) Holmgren, Benton Bailey, Trevor Marshall, Robert Marshall, Rachel Marshall, Francis (Savannah) Adkins and Margaret Adkins, 3 great-granddaughters, and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to express special thanks to Alive Hospice and caregivers Athena Green, Keyuana, and Curesha.
A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN, with visitation preceding at 10 in the Parish Hall. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/nashville-tn
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the St. George’s Choirs.
If you are not able to join us, please talk about sports with a stranger while waiting in a line, as Ruth often did, and in so doing she made many friends.
For more obituaries visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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