January 26, 1925 - April 16, 2024
Funeral services for Mrs. Ruth Holt McMullan were at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 from the First Baptist Church of Newton. Dr. Frank Harmon and Rev. Chris Spence officiated. Interment was in the Newton Masonic Cemetery under the direction of Newton County Funeral Home.
Ruth Irene Holt was born on January 6, 1925 in rural Gibson County Tennessee to Lonnie and Mattie Holt. She was the third of seven children in a close and loving family which extended to her grandmothers, aunts and cousins. At age four her family moved to the nearby town of Milan while still keeping their large farming operation.
She graduated from Milan High School in 1942 and followed both of her sisters to Blue Mountain College in northern Mississippi. Her sisters had set a high bar for outstanding achievement when she arrived so she had to work really hard to keep up with them. During the summer she also attended the University of North Carolina and the University of Mexico. She graduated in 1946 with degrees in English and Spanish. The following year she taught English in Ripley Tennessee. During her senior year her roommate, Dorothy Scott Baker, brought Ruth home to Newton, MS to visit with her family. There she met her future husband, Elliott McMullan, who had recently returned home from the Navy. They married on September 27, 1947 and she moved to Newton, MS. He built her a home next door to his parents and there she lived the rest of her life.
Ruth grew to love Newton and was very active in the community. She was a loving and attentive wife and mother to her two children. She was a dedicated member of First Baptist Church for 77 years where she taught the children and was later very involved in the elderly and homebound ministry. Elliott was mayor of Newton for 20 years and she often assisted him in promoting the city of Newton. She was involved in many civic and social groups, among her favorites were the League of Women Voters, the Great Books Club, and her bridge clubs. She was an avid artist and involved with the Newton and Meridian Arts Councils. Mrs. McMullan passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at her home in Newton, Mississippi.
She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 57 years; her parents; five of her six siblings and their spouses, Ethelene (Winfield) Rich, Mildred (Edmond) Miles, Dr. Dan (Henrietta) Holt, Robert (Jane) Holt, Dr. Huey (Anita) Holt, and her sister-in-law, Joy (wife of David) Holt.
She is survived by her daughter, Janis (Bill) of Louisville, MS, and her son, Holt (Lynn) of Hattiesburg, MS; her granddaughter, Arlean (Sam) Sackler of Hattiesburg, MS and her grandsons Will (Katie) McMullan of Greenwich, CT and Will (Michelle) Tabor of Ridgeland, MS; and seven great grandsons, Preston and Hammond Sackler, Wills, Henry and James McMullan, and Patrick and Luke Tabor. She leaves a brother, Dr. David Holt, of Cary, NC and many nieces and nephews and their families. She was blessed to have a kind and loving caretaker for many years, Jean Snow, and other wonderful caretakers, Mary Snow, Karen Avery and several others for which the family is most grateful.
Visitation was on Tuesday from 12:30 P.M. until the time of the service at the church.
The family suggests that memorials be made to First Baptist Church, 307 E. Church St., Newton, MS 39345 or to the J. E. McMullan Library, 300 W. Church St., Newton. MS 39345.
Newton County Funeral Home – South, 100 Old Hwy. 15 Loop, Newton, MS 39345 is in charge of arrangements.
Paid Obituary
