Ruth Elizabeth Collins slipped away peacefully at the home she shared for the past two years and ten months with her daughter, Elizabeth Smith, on Wednesday, May 19th, 2021.

Originally born Ruth Elizabeth Hudgins on June 12th, 1929, she was the 11th of 12 children born to John Hudgins and Lena Smith (Schmidt) in their home on Lexington Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. Despite the best efforts of the nuns in the Catholic school she attended, she managed to complete the necessary classes to begin working at age 15.

After several years she met Sidney T. Collins in Annapolis, Maryland on a blind date in 1947. They married on February 6th, 1949 at her parent's home on Potomac Street in Baltimore, Maryland.

Having never left Maryland prior to getting married, Ruth embraced her husband's enthusiasm for travel. They moved house twenty times during his military career before he retired from the US Navy in Charleston, SC in 1969.

After she and her husband retired, they continued their travels throughout the US and around the world visiting Scotland, England, France, Italy, and Spain before Sid died in 1994.

As a widow, Ruth continued to foster the love of traveling in her daughter and grandsons, generously supporting their adventures and even accompanying them on many of their trips.

While she stopped traveling when she began to lose her vision, that didn't stop her from sharing her resources by supporting and encouraging the personal dreams and professional endeavors of her family.

During the years Ruth lived in Charleston, she remained a gracious and welcoming ambassador to her nine brothers, two sisters, her husband's six brothers, two sisters, as well as many of the more than forty-five nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews who came to visit and always enjoyed her hospitality (and blueberry pancakes).

As recently as June 12th, 2019 she was the honorary hostess at her 90th birthday celebration in Irmo, SC. She was thrilled to welcome family and friends including Cecilia & George, Carol & Chuck, James & Jodie, Charlotte Humphries, Alice Hallmark, William Smith, Jr. and others who traveled from near and far.

While her husband, parents, in-laws and nephew, Ron Hudgins Sr. (who she thought of as a son) preceded her in death, Ruth was survived by her daughter, Elizabeth Collins-Smith; grandsons Alex and Jason Smith; great grandchildren Hudson, Olive, Alexander, Mazzy and Holden; and Bridget Smith, Catherine McCravy, and Jessica Hudgins.

Throughout her long life, Ruth lavished gifts of love and generosity on all who knew her, friends and family alike. She will be missed by all.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 12, 2021 from 1 to 4 p.m., in the J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Downtown Chapel, 232 Calhoun St.

A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting the Stuhrs website at www.jhenrystuhr.com

Paid obituary