Ruth C. Lewis

Quietly and peacefully on Friday, February 10, 2023, God, in His infinite mercy, called our beloved Ruth home into eternal rest.

Ruth Celethia Ashton-Lewis was born in King George, Virginia on December 21, 1926. She was the fourth of ten children born to the late Deacon William F. Ashton and Deaconess Mary P. Ashton.

She accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age and joined the Salem Baptist Church in Shiloh, Virginia. She attended this church until she moved from the area as a young woman. Eventually she returned home and resumed her membership at Salem Baptist Church where she served faithfully until her health began to fail.

She was a graduate of Edgehill Training School in King George, Virginia, class of 1945. The class of 1945 consisted of only three students, Ruth, her brother Ralph, and first cousin Thelma Jones. The Edgehill Training School later became what we know as Ralph Bunche, where she also has been a life time member of the Ralph Bunche Alumni Association.

After graduation, she moved to Philadelphia and became a hair stylist. Discovering that hair styling was not 

her passion, she moved to Washington, DC. with support of family and friends. She was able to secure a position with the Federal Government, working for the US Department of State until she retired in 1986. During her time at the State Department, she also had a part-time job during this time because she had a dream to one day own and live in a house. That dream came true in 1970 when she had her home built and was able to return to King George, Virginia to live.

Also, while working at the Department of State, she met James P. Lewis of Spotsylvania, Virginia, and on June 26, 1976, they would become husband and wife.

Ruth joined Eastern Star Chapter #216 in 1988 and served as member where she received a 25 year certificate in 2013 and she continued to be an active member until her health began to decline.

Ruth loved spending time with her family, as well as her church family. She especially loved her pastor Reverend Leonard Bland and First Lady, Carolyn Bland. The laughter she shared among her siblings was felt throughout the family. She had a great passion for cooking, and would often come up with new and different recipes. Family members became her favorite taste testers. She always

had a smile and carried a kind word for everyone. She was a very caring and loving person who was always willing to lend a helping hand.

She was preceded in death by her siblings, Margaret Toliver, Thomas Ashton, Dorothy Penn, Robert Ashton, Sr. and Earl Ashton, Sr. and a step-daughter, Pamela Lewis.

Ruth leaves to cherish her memory, her husband James P. Lewis; two children, Kelvin L. Tisdale; Stacie D. Ashton Anderson; two step-daughters Sandra Saunders (James), Rhonda Jernigan (Marcellus); two brothers Ralph Ashton (Helen), Vernell Ashton; two sisters Mildred Ashton Holmes and Athelia Garland; four grandchildren Danielle Ashton-Johnson, Bryan Frye, Jr., Donnell Ashton and Mikayla Ashton; four great-grandchildren, Dillion Johnson, Deylah Johnson, Riley Frye, Bellamy Frye; and a host of other relatives and many friends.