Ruth Glover "Baby Ruth" Graham

Graham, Ruth Glover (“Baby Ruth”), age 73 died peacefully at home in Prattville, AL (Sept 18, 1947 - June 14, 2021). Mrs. Graham was preceded in death by her parents, Williamson Allen Glover and Ruth Leonard Glover; two sisters, “Muffin” Kerlin and Jessie McElroy; sister-in-law, Ginny Shinn; two brothers-in-law, Percy Graham and Glenn Ruffin and nephew, Kyle Jones and Jay Ingram. She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Charles “Charlie” Noble Graham; one daughter, Glover Graham Pope (Tim); one sister, Allen Livingston; two brothers-in-law, Gene Kerlin and Tom Shinn; sisters-in-law, Pat Ruffin and Debbie Graham; four nieces, Ruth Lanier (Eric), Teresa Ingram, Allen Jordan (Brian) and Michelle Graham; nine nephews, Glover Kerlin (Pat), Jim Kerlin (Deborah), Chip Kerlin, Tom Kerlin (Stephanie), Robert McElroy Jr. (Chris), Stephen McElroy, Raymond Thompson Jr. (Stacey), Norm Jones (Carole) and Tommy Shinn (Michon); many great nieces and nephews; lifelong best friend, Dianne Reynolds (Wayne); extended family and many friends. Ruth leaves a legacy of a lifetime love of music. She earned her Bachelor of Music from Huntingdon College at age 20. She studied with Dr. Harold Rohlig starting at age 13 and performed with symphony orchestras and the Montgomery Civic Chorale under his direction throughout her collegiate years. She enjoyed many styles of music from the classic music of Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Handel, Haydn to contemporary songwriters and artists Beatles, Burt Bacharach (per-formed by Dionne Warwick and Carpenters), and country group Alabama. She played organ for St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (Prattville, AL) and St. Michael’s Episcopal Church (Robinson Springs, AL) from age 12. She remarked once that she had played for all the local churches and synagogues except the Russian Orthodox and had a desire to do that too. Her performances included grand productions for churches such as The Seven Last Words of Christ, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Handel’s Messiah, and other oratorios. After college Ruth began teaching piano, organ, and music theory and continued teaching until June 2019. She was a member in local, state and national music teacher associations and her students competed and auditioned in them such as the American Music Teachers Association (AMTA), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Montgomery Piano Teachers Forum, Prattville Piano Teachers Forum, Montgomery Music Study Club and Prattville Hymn Festival. Her students always received the highest marks and continued in higher levels of achievement, and were pronounced winners at the state level over a large number of students. They partici-pated annually in the Boykin Festivals and McGowan recitals. Through the years Ruth made many sincere friends through her debate on several history fo-rums, including Dawna Hepburn of Canada and Marnie Bradley. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Prattville, AL on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. After the service, the family will receive visitors in the adjoining Ray Fellowship Hall. Mrs. Graham’s final resting place will be the Columbarium of St. Mark’s. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to the Humane Shelter of Prattville, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Prattville, or the Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation.

Ruth Glover "Baby Ruth" Graham

September 18, 1947 - June 14, 2021