Ruth Edna Barnes Chapman Giant, of Pensacola, Fla., died peacefully Nov. 6, 2008, at Hospice of West Florida Hospital, surrounded by her family.
Private family burial services were held Mon., Nov. 10, at Bayview Memorial Cemetery followed by a memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church, both in Pensacola.
Ruth was the daughter of Ada Evans Barnes and George H. Barnes of Andalusia. She was married to Cmdr. DeWitt Dudley Chapman Jr., son of Ethel Darling Chapman and DeWitt Dudley Chapman.
Her sister, Mildred Barnes Meadows, younger brother, Evans Barnes and her first husband, Dewitt Dudley Chapman Jr., preceded Ruth in death.
She is survived by her four daughters, Susan Chapman Norton (Craig) of Kalamazoo, Mich., Lynne Chapman Howard (Steve) of Tampa, Joan Chapman Bullock (Ellis III) of Pensacola and Donna Giant Terrian (Peter) of Apopka, Fla. Ruth is also survived by her eight grandchildren, Trent Chapman Howard, Alexa Bullock McElroy, Molly Chapman Norton, Robert DeWitt Howard, Ellis Way Bullock IV, Chapman DeWitt Bullock, Kristopher Donald Terrian and Kathryn Ruth Terrian; and great-grandchild, Ada Joan McElroy.
Born in Norwalk, Conn., on Jan. 2, 1923, Ruthie spent her teenage years in Andalusia. She attended Emma Willard School for Girls in Troy, N.Y., and Huntington College in Montgomery. Ruth and DeWitt were married in her parents’ Andalusia home on March 13, 1943. They moved with their first daughter, Susan, to Midway Island and later to Rhode Island where Lynne was born. Their third daughter, Joan, was born in Pensacola.
In 1956, Cmdr. Chapman died in a military plane crash. Ruthie and her daughters returned to Pensacola to live.
In 1958, Ruth married Donald Swartz Giant and, in 1959, their daughter, Donna, was born. Their marriage of 20 years was ended by Don’s death in 1978.
Their oldest daughter, Susan, moved to Andalusia with her husband, Capt. Craig Norton, in 1969 where they resided for 20 years.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Andalusia Public Library in memory of Ruth.
Ruthie will be greatly missed by her loving family and friends.