Ruth Kenricks-Ruggs was born on March 26, 1940 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Robert and Lillie Mae Kendricks. She moved to Akron, Ohio as a young child and stayed until her departure. She received salvation and was baptized at a young age. She was an active member until her health began to fail of United Baptist Church.
She loved everyone and was loved by everyone. We are grieving as a family but are celebrating the fact that she has seen “One More Sunny Day” as of January 24, 2025. She closed her eyes and went to sleep in the arms of our Lord.
She was a Psalm 31 woman and loved her Lord, husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with all her heart. One story she liked to tell was that she and her love were meant to be because when they first met, they briefly separated but in 7 years The Lord brought them back together. She married her “Sweet Baby” (as she called Will Ruggs Sr) on March 29, 1968 at the United Baptist Church when it was located on Bellows Street under Pastor Billy Robinson.
Ruth worked as a housekeeper for many years and each family she worked for was very dear to her, and she to them. She would take her children and grandchildren with her on some of her cleaning jobs. She was well known in Akron, Ohio for singing and directing at United Baptist Church and Valley Baptist Church in Niles, Ohio for many years. She worked under Pastor Billy Robinson, Pastor Dr Roderick Pounds, Bishop Kenneth Paramore, Pastor Larry Scott and Pastor Kevin Rushing. She sang in Gospel Meets Symphony at the Akron Civic Theatre several times. She had a heart of gold and will be missed and was loved by everyone that knew or came in contact with her.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Will Ruggs Sr, parents, sisters, granddaughter (Shirley Ruth Ruggs), son-in-love Ramone Singfield Sr.
She is survived by her children, Cynthea (Monty) Jones, Yvonne Ruggs-Singfield, Will Ruggs Jr, Renee (James) McDaniel, and Raishone Ruggs; sister Diane Arnold, sisters-in-law Addie L (George-deceased) Burgan, Bernadine (Clarence-deceased) Houston, and Lilly Mae (Ellis) Brown; brother-in-law Isreal (Harriet-deceased) Ruggs; 9 grandchildren Ramone (Jasmine) Singfield Jr, Deonte’ Singfield, Xavier (Ashanti) Upshaw, Will Tyree (Kenyada) Ruggs, Jamaica Allen, Darius Singfield, Brooklyn Ruggs, James McDaniel III, Jeremiah Will McDaniel and 7 great-grandchildren Karter, Xavier, NaKiah, Taniyah, JaMarcus, Ramone III and Giselle. She is survived by many nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends. She was loved and respected by many and will truly be missed.