Ruth Sims Ladd Harris

Published 9:23 pm Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Ruth Sims Ladd Harris was born on March 13, 1924, to Rev John C. Sims and Mattie Morris Fowler Sims in Miami, Florida.

She graduated from Putnam High School in Palatka, FL in 1941 and then received her Associate’s in Arts degree from Mars Hill College in North Carolina.

She wed Thomas Bernard Ladd of San Mateo, FL in 1944. She brought five boys into the world over a 20-year span and worked as a secretary for various companies, as well as a church pianist and piano teacher while living in Gainesville, FL, Hogansville, Atlanta, Griffin, and again in Hogansville.

After the death of her first husband in 1974, she wed her widowed college sweetheart, Bob Harris in 1979, and partnered with him in mission work for the Southern Baptist Convention on the island of Bermuda until their retirement in 1991, again returning to her ancestral farm in the St Marks community of Hogansville. She and Bob were very active in Baptist church life in Meriwether, Troup, and Coweta Counties including the home church of Union Baptist in St. Marks during these years.

Ruth went to be with her Lord and Savior on the afternoon of June 21, 2025, peacefully, quietly and painlessly. She lived her 101 years, 3 months and 8 days to the fullest, even planning to go shop for shoes 30 minutes before her death.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; her brother, John Sims; son, Thomas B. Ladd, Jr; stepdaughter, Mary Carol Ard; and Mary Carol’s husband, John Ard. She is survived by four sons, David (Becky) Ladd of Colorado Springs, CO, Steve (Debbie) Ladd of Wake Forest, NC, Mark Ladd, Michael Ladd; daughter-in-law, Ann Ladd (widow of Thomas), all of Hogansville; step-son, Bobby (Maigread) Harris of Drumkeerin, Ireland; step-daughter, Ruthie (Greg) Barker of St. Simons Island; 14 grandchildren; 16 (17 come August) great-grandchildren; two nephews, James Sims of Wilmot, NH and Peter Sims of Hoover, AL; and several great and great-great-nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be 2 P.M. Friday, June 27, at Union Baptist Church in the St. Marks community outside of Hogansville, GA.

The family will receive friends at Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home in Hogansville from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. Thursday evening. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Union Baptist Church c/o John Carden, 2725 St. Marks Road, Hogansville, GA  30230 Condolences may be expressed at www.mckibbenfuneralhome.com

Claude A. McKibben and Sons Funeral Home of Hogansville is in charge of arrangements.