Ruth Jeanetta Cargal

In Loving Memory of Ruth Jeanetta Cargal October 10, 1936 – July 9, 2025

On the morning of July 9, 2025, in Cartersville, Georgia, the gentle soul of Ruth Jeanetta Cargal, aged eighty-eight, took her final rest. As the veil parted softly between time and eternity, she departed this world in peace, carried home to her Maker with the grace befitting a life of quiet goodness and faithful devotion.
 
Born on October 10, 1936, in Clay County, North Carolina, Ruth was the cherished daughter of Hawley and Bessie Ledford, now gone before her into the eternal light. From her youth, she was taught the virtues of kindness, humility, and industry; lessons she carried faithfully throughout her days.
 
She was the devoted wife of the late Charley Cargal, her beloved partner in both trials and triumphs. Together, they weathered life’s seasons and built a life rich in love and simplicity. Ruth’s days were not filled with grandeur, but with the sacred ordinary, the offering of small kindnesses, the warmth of welcome, and the joy of service.
 
She is survived by her daughter, Charlotte Susan Cargal, who stood as both the fruit of her labor and the joy of her heart. Ruth also leaves behind nephew Jerry Ledford (Karen), and her great-nephews, Taylor Ledford, and Cale Ledford, each bound to her memory with cords of familial love.
 
Yet Ruth’s heart made room for more than blood. She loved Michelle Emerson like a second daughter, holding her close with maternal affection. She regarded her neighbor Brian Curry as a son in spirit, a testament to her openness and abiding care. She is also survived by her dear friend, George Lemming, and a circle of many other beloved friends, each a soul brightened by her presence.
 
Preceding her in rest are her husband, Charley Cargal; her brothers, Verlin Leford, Neal Ledford, and David Ledford; her sister Bertha Henson and her nieces, Barbara Betts and Diane Carlock. Theirs is now a joyful reunion, sweetened by grace and no longer troubled by time.
 
Ruth was, above all, a nurturer. She loved her flowers and her garden, where she found delight in beauty sprung from soil. Her culinary gifts became legend in her community; her rum cakes that warmed the soul, banana nut bread that perfumed the air with memory, and peanut butter pies offered not as boast but as blessing. During holidays and birthdays, she gave the work of her hands as gifts of the heart, and to new neighbors, she extended welcome through something freshly baked and freely given.
 
She was a lifelong Baptist, steady in her faith and loyal in her worship until the frailty of illness made attendance difficult. Yet the spirit in which she served and prayed remained strong, even as her steps slowed.
 
While her health allowed, Ruth became a caregiver to many, tending to the needs of others with the same quiet devotion she gave to her family and friends. Whether acting as a companion to the ill or comforting the lonely, Ruth gave of herself in ways large and small, without fanfare, always in love.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the compassionate and dedicated staff at Winthrop of Rome and Townsend of Cartersville for the kindness, love, and excellent care they provided

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in memory of Ruth to the Alzheimer’s Association, honoring not only her journey but the many lives she touched in compassion.
Alzheimer’s Association

https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate

800.272.3900

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ruth Jeanetta Cargal, please visit our floral store.