Ruth Marion Smith passed away on Saturday, January 28, 2023, in Orlando, FL. She was born on October 11, 1936, in Mannheim, Germany to the late Albert and Alice Fischel. At 14 months old, Ruth left Germany with her parents to escape Hitler and the Nazis. In the United States, the family found refuge and an opportunity to rebuild their shattered lives. They embraced the freedoms of America, while never forgetting their German heritage or the many beloved family members who perished in the holocaust.
Ruth spent her toddler years in Rutherford, New Jersey, and her early school years in Dayton, Ohio. As she reached her middle school years, Albert and Alice had saved enough money to open a jewelry store like the one they had to abandon in Germany. They moved to New Castle, Indiana, home to a bustling Chrysler plant. As a teenager, Ruth loved helping in her parents’ store. She thrived in the small town, making many friends. After graduating high school, Ruth attended the University of Cincinnati, where she studied for a degree in Home Economics. After her first year, she transferred to Indiana University, where a friend introduced her to Michael Smith, a cute boy from Indianapolis who had a twinkle in his eye, a joke for every occasion, and a zest for adventure. Their connection was instantaneous. In 1958, the two married and settled in Indianapolis, where they welcomed daughter Sandy and son Jeffrey.
Ruth enjoyed being a homemaker and mother, and later an office manager. She was an excellent cook and baker and took great joy in hosting family and friends around her table. She was famous for her challah. Her other talents included singing, painting, knitting, sewing, and needlework. Her interests were many and eclectic. She loved opera, classical music, and Broadway musicals, as well as watching competitive ice skating. Her guilty pleasure was watching soap operas, especially Days of our Lives. She organized a family trip to Disney World the year it opened and returned many times, instilling a love of Disney magic in her children and grandchildren. As empty nesters, she and Mike enjoyed cruising to many parts of the world. When she became a grandmother, Ruth showered her three granddaughters with love, making each one feel special. In 2016, she and Mike traded in their snow boots for sandals when they moved with their daughter Sandy and her husband Steve to Orlando.
Ruth was a person who loved her family, loved her friends, loved to cook, loved to travel and loved creating beautiful things. When she received a dementia diagnosis more than 15 years ago she had to give up driving and running the household, but she never lost her enthusiasm for her hobbies and sharing time with family. When she lost Mike in July of 2022, her enjoyment of life finally dimmed. They were a team for 63 years and she lasted only six months without him. She will be deeply missed by daughter Sandy Herman (Steve), son Jeff Smith, granddaughters Rachel Rosenblum (Alex), Abigail Herman and Kristen Smith, and great-granddaughters Rebecca and Alice Rosenblum.
Funeral services for Ruth Smith will be held Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at 11:00 AM in the Pavilion of Ohev Shalom Cemetery (6034 Old Winter Garden Road) with Rabbi Geoffrey Spector of Congregation Ohev Shalom officiating.
Donations in memory of Ruth may be made to Congregation Ohev Shalom in Maitland, FL.
Services entrusted to Beth Shalom Memorial Chapel, 933 Lee Road, Suite 101, Orlando, Florida 407-599-1180.
