Mattie Ruth Stoudenmire Chadwell, 93, formerly of Fayetteville, N.C., passed away at Brookdale Asheboro on June 23, 2023. Born on July 14, 1929, in Meridian, Mississippi, she was the daughter of the late Theophilus Leonard (T.L.) Stoudenmire and Stacy Iona Torrance Stoudenmire.
Ruth graduated from Meridian High School in 1947 and moved to Washington, D.C., in 1949 to take a civil service job with the Navy Department. During this time, she also proudly served her country by joining the women’s reserve branch of the Navy, known as WAVES. On Memorial Day in 1951, she met the love of her life, John Daniel Chadwell, an Army paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, from Front Royal, Virginia. They were married on Oct. 6, 1951, in Dillon, South Carolina, and began their life together in Fayetteville, where John was stationed at nearby Fort Bragg. They were married for more than 51 years and together raised seven children. Ruth worked in management for several Fayetteville retail stores including Treasure City, Family Dollar, and the Diana Shops. She was a member of St. Matthews United Methodist Church in Fayetteville.
She is survived by sons, Gary Chadwell (Vicki) of Fayetteville; Mark Chadwell (Peggy) of Fayetteville; Larry Chadwell (Teri) of McKinney, Texas; Dennis Chadwell of Cary, N.C.; daughters, Gail Chadwell of Morrisville, N.C.; Faye Chadwell (Cara) of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania; and Barbara Chadwell (Pam) of Asheboro, N.C.; five grandchildren: Richard Chadwell (Joanna), Melissa Autry (Michael), Ryan Morrison, Daniel Chadwell, Tania Waggoner (Kevin); and five great-grandchildren: Hannah Chadwell, J.B. and Caroline Autry, and Thomas and Annabelle Waggoner. She is also survived by her sister, Faye Skelton (Jere) of Meridian, Mississippi, and her brother, Terry Stoudenmire, of Forest, Mississippi.
The family will receive friends from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, with a funeral service in the chapel beginning at 1 p.m., conducted by Pastor Amanda Eastridge of St. Matthews UMC. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery, 8220 Bragg Blvd., Spring Lake, NC.
The family extends their sincere gratitude to the staff of Brookdale’s Clare Bridge memory care unit and Gentiva Hospice for their compassionate and loving care over the past three years.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Matthews United Methodist Church, 202 Hope Mills Road, Fayetteville, NC 28304, the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org), or a charity of your choice.
Online condolences may be sent to http://www.jerniganwarren.com
Arrangements by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28301.
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