Ruth Armistead (no middle birth name) was the daughter of Rev. Thomas Stewart Armistead and Frances "Fannie" Margaret Johanna (Jerkins) Armistead. Her father was one of "The Immortal 600", a group of Confederate Officers who were cruelly treated and placed on a starvation diet by the Federal Government (Union) during their imprisonment as prisoners during the Civil War. Ruth's father was age 67 years 10 months and 26 days old when Ruth was born. Pat Lyons (PML)
1ST HUSBAND: LONNIE LYONS. Ruth grew into a beautiful young lady 5' 4" tall with brown hair and blue eyes. Her first love, was a young mechanic, by the name of Lonnie Lyons who was working at Ford Motor Company in Zephyrhills. An interesting family story relates that the marriage between Lonnie and Ruth was arranged the old fashioned way between the prospective groom and the parent of the bride. Her tender age of 16 years, 8 months, and 5 days on her marriage day was a consideration for asking for her hand in marriage. Her Mother was required to sign the license application consenting to the marriage. She signed as "Mrs. T. S. Armistead, mother present consenting". The ceremony was performed by Rev. R. W. Carlton at his home (Parsonage) in Highland City, Florida on 23 February 1927. Ruth's mother was in attendance as well as Mr. H. P. Whidden and his wife standing up as witnesses. Note: Highland City was on the outskirts of Bartow in Polk County. Reference: File # 1927900167, Clerk Of Court, Bartow Courthouse, Bartow, Florida. Marriage certificate also found in Marriage Book 10 page 321, Polk County, Florida. File abstracted by Pat Lyons (PML)
1949 THE WIDOW LYONS. Ruth was widowed upon the death of Lonnie in 1949. Ruth supported the family as a bookkeeper for a wholesale grocer as well as a nearby local grocery store known as Crooms Grocery Store. In the early 1950's she was Hospital Administrator of the Bartow General Hospital that was located across the street from the Armistead house. Ruth was a member of the Order of Eastern Star of Bartow, Florida. Personal knowledge Pat Lyons (PML)
2ND HUSBAND: THOMAS EDWIN SMITH. Ruth married second, Thomas Edwin Smith (1909-1980). Ed and Ruth attended the same primary school when they were children. As the story goes, Ed was admitted to Bartow General Hospital as a heart patient while Ruth was Hospital Administrator. Their rekindled friendship culminated in marriage on 20 January 1953 at Folkston, Georgia. During the trip, Ed experienced anxiety and had to be transported home (after he said "I do"). He was okay. Our lives were never dull around him. Personal knowledge, Pat Lyons
BURIAL: Lonnie, Ruth, and Ed are buried in the Lyons Plot at Wildwood Cemetery in Bartow, Florida. Researched by Pat Lyons (PML)
Family Links: The three children born to Ruth Armistead and Lonnie Lyons are now deceased. Eldest child, Robert Stewart Lyons (1928-2019) Memorial #198730410. A daughter, Dorothy Lee Lyons Hutto (1932- 2019) Memorial #204790895. Youngest son, Lanny David Lyons (1934-2021) Memorial #228329192.
1ST HUSBAND: LONNIE LYONS. Ruth grew into a beautiful young lady 5' 4" tall with brown hair and blue eyes. Her first love, was a young mechanic, by the name of Lonnie Lyons who was working at Ford Motor Company in Zephyrhills. An interesting family story relates that the marriage between Lonnie and Ruth was arranged the old fashioned way between the prospective groom and the parent of the bride. Her tender age of 16 years, 8 months, and 5 days on her marriage day was a consideration for asking for her hand in marriage. Her Mother was required to sign the license application consenting to the marriage. She signed as "Mrs. T. S. Armistead, mother present consenting". The ceremony was performed by Rev. R. W. Carlton at his home (Parsonage) in Highland City, Florida on 23 February 1927. Ruth's mother was in attendance as well as Mr. H. P. Whidden and his wife standing up as witnesses. Note: Highland City was on the outskirts of Bartow in Polk County. Reference: File # 1927900167, Clerk Of Court, Bartow Courthouse, Bartow, Florida. Marriage certificate also found in Marriage Book 10 page 321, Polk County, Florida. File abstracted by Pat Lyons (PML)
1949 THE WIDOW LYONS. Ruth was widowed upon the death of Lonnie in 1949. Ruth supported the family as a bookkeeper for a wholesale grocer as well as a nearby local grocery store known as Crooms Grocery Store. In the early 1950's she was Hospital Administrator of the Bartow General Hospital that was located across the street from the Armistead house. Ruth was a member of the Order of Eastern Star of Bartow, Florida. Personal knowledge Pat Lyons (PML)
2ND HUSBAND: THOMAS EDWIN SMITH. Ruth married second, Thomas Edwin Smith (1909-1980). Ed and Ruth attended the same primary school when they were children. As the story goes, Ed was admitted to Bartow General Hospital as a heart patient while Ruth was Hospital Administrator. Their rekindled friendship culminated in marriage on 20 January 1953 at Folkston, Georgia. During the trip, Ed experienced anxiety and had to be transported home (after he said "I do"). He was okay. Our lives were never dull around him. Personal knowledge, Pat Lyons
BURIAL: Lonnie, Ruth, and Ed are buried in the Lyons Plot at Wildwood Cemetery in Bartow, Florida. Researched by Pat Lyons (PML)
Family Links: The three children born to Ruth Armistead and Lonnie Lyons are now deceased. Eldest child, Robert Stewart Lyons (1928-2019) Memorial #198730410. A daughter, Dorothy Lee Lyons Hutto (1932- 2019) Memorial #204790895. Youngest son, Lanny David Lyons (1934-2021) Memorial #228329192.
Ruth Armistead (no middle birth name) was the daughter of Rev. Thomas Stewart Armistead and Frances "Fannie" Margaret Johanna (Jerkins) Armistead. Her father was one of "The Immortal 600", a group of Confederate Officers who were cruelly treated and placed on a starvation diet by the Federal Government (Union) during their imprisonment as prisoners during the Civil War. Ruth's father was age 67 years 10 months and 26 days old when Ruth was born. Pat Lyons (PML)
1ST HUSBAND: LONNIE LYONS. Ruth grew into a beautiful young lady 5' 4" tall with brown hair and blue eyes. Her first love, was a young mechanic, by the name of Lonnie Lyons who was working at Ford Motor Company in Zephyrhills. An interesting family story relates that the marriage between Lonnie and Ruth was arranged the old fashioned way between the prospective groom and the parent of the bride. Her tender age of 16 years, 8 months, and 5 days on her marriage day was a consideration for asking for her hand in marriage. Her Mother was required to sign the license application consenting to the marriage. She signed as "Mrs. T. S. Armistead, mother present consenting". The ceremony was performed by Rev. R. W. Carlton at his home (Parsonage) in Highland City, Florida on 23 February 1927. Ruth's mother was in attendance as well as Mr. H. P. Whidden and his wife standing up as witnesses. Note: Highland City was on the outskirts of Bartow in Polk County. Reference: File # 1927900167, Clerk Of Court, Bartow Courthouse, Bartow, Florida. Marriage certificate also found in Marriage Book 10 page 321, Polk County, Florida. File abstracted by Pat Lyons (PML)
1949 THE WIDOW LYONS. Ruth was widowed upon the death of Lonnie in 1949. Ruth supported the family as a bookkeeper for a wholesale grocer as well as a nearby local grocery store known as Crooms Grocery Store. In the early 1950's she was Hospital Administrator of the Bartow General Hospital that was located across the street from the Armistead house. Ruth was a member of the Order of Eastern Star of Bartow, Florida. Personal knowledge Pat Lyons (PML)
2ND HUSBAND: THOMAS EDWIN SMITH. Ruth married second, Thomas Edwin Smith (1909-1980). Ed and Ruth attended the same primary school when they were children. As the story goes, Ed was admitted to Bartow General Hospital as a heart patient while Ruth was Hospital Administrator. Their rekindled friendship culminated in marriage on 20 January 1953 at Folkston, Georgia. During the trip, Ed experienced anxiety and had to be transported home (after he said "I do"). He was okay. Our lives were never dull around him. Personal knowledge, Pat Lyons
BURIAL: Lonnie, Ruth, and Ed are buried in the Lyons Plot at Wildwood Cemetery in Bartow, Florida. Researched by Pat Lyons (PML)
Family Links: The three children born to Ruth Armistead and Lonnie Lyons are now deceased. Eldest child, Robert Stewart Lyons (1928-2019) Memorial #198730410. A daughter, Dorothy Lee Lyons Hutto (1932- 2019) Memorial #204790895. Youngest son, Lanny David Lyons (1934-2021) Memorial #228329192.
1ST HUSBAND: LONNIE LYONS. Ruth grew into a beautiful young lady 5' 4" tall with brown hair and blue eyes. Her first love, was a young mechanic, by the name of Lonnie Lyons who was working at Ford Motor Company in Zephyrhills. An interesting family story relates that the marriage between Lonnie and Ruth was arranged the old fashioned way between the prospective groom and the parent of the bride. Her tender age of 16 years, 8 months, and 5 days on her marriage day was a consideration for asking for her hand in marriage. Her Mother was required to sign the license application consenting to the marriage. She signed as "Mrs. T. S. Armistead, mother present consenting". The ceremony was performed by Rev. R. W. Carlton at his home (Parsonage) in Highland City, Florida on 23 February 1927. Ruth's mother was in attendance as well as Mr. H. P. Whidden and his wife standing up as witnesses. Note: Highland City was on the outskirts of Bartow in Polk County. Reference: File # 1927900167, Clerk Of Court, Bartow Courthouse, Bartow, Florida. Marriage certificate also found in Marriage Book 10 page 321, Polk County, Florida. File abstracted by Pat Lyons (PML)
1949 THE WIDOW LYONS. Ruth was widowed upon the death of Lonnie in 1949. Ruth supported the family as a bookkeeper for a wholesale grocer as well as a nearby local grocery store known as Crooms Grocery Store. In the early 1950's she was Hospital Administrator of the Bartow General Hospital that was located across the street from the Armistead house. Ruth was a member of the Order of Eastern Star of Bartow, Florida. Personal knowledge Pat Lyons (PML)
2ND HUSBAND: THOMAS EDWIN SMITH. Ruth married second, Thomas Edwin Smith (1909-1980). Ed and Ruth attended the same primary school when they were children. As the story goes, Ed was admitted to Bartow General Hospital as a heart patient while Ruth was Hospital Administrator. Their rekindled friendship culminated in marriage on 20 January 1953 at Folkston, Georgia. During the trip, Ed experienced anxiety and had to be transported home (after he said "I do"). He was okay. Our lives were never dull around him. Personal knowledge, Pat Lyons
BURIAL: Lonnie, Ruth, and Ed are buried in the Lyons Plot at Wildwood Cemetery in Bartow, Florida. Researched by Pat Lyons (PML)
Family Links: The three children born to Ruth Armistead and Lonnie Lyons are now deceased. Eldest child, Robert Stewart Lyons (1928-2019) Memorial #198730410. A daughter, Dorothy Lee Lyons Hutto (1932- 2019) Memorial #204790895. Youngest son, Lanny David Lyons (1934-2021) Memorial #228329192.
Inscription
Ruth Lyons Smith
June 18, 1910
June 15, 1998
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Parents
