Ruth Kleingers Smith

Ruth Kleingers Smith of Middletown, Ohio passed away on September 3, 2022. She was 91.

Ruth was born on May 17, 1931 to Clara (Wietmarschen) and Edward Mersch in Cincinnati, Ohio, the sixth of nine children. She graduated from Deer Park High School in 1949, and after graduation, worked for a time as a bookkeeper at General Electric.

Ruth married Alfred Kleingers, Jr. in 1953 and had five children. She spent the next decades committed to her family and community as a member of Holy Family Parish and a volunteer in support of St. Mary School, St. John XXIII School and Fenwick High School. Ruth was active in the Fenwick Arts and Music Association from 1971 until 1985 and proudly proclaimed herself to be one of the original “FAMA Mamas.” Upon the death of her husband Al in 1985, she re-entered the workforce as a bank teller. She met and married her second husband, William C. Smith, in 1996 and greatly expanded her family. She and Bill were faithful members of Holy Family Parish and attended Mass daily. Ruth loved her family and friends and will be remembered for her generous spirit, infectious smile, incredible support, positive attitude and willingness to help wherever and whenever needed.

Ruth was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, aunt, church lector, organizer, substitute newspaper deliverer, berry picker, good neighbor, pie-maker, gardener and flower tender. And she kept a very clean house!

Her family gratefully acknowledges the wonderful care she received from Hospice Care of Middletown.

Ruth is predeceased by her husbands, Al and Bill; mother, Clara, and father, Ed; all of her brothers and her sister; and her son-in-law, Brian Grant.

Ruth is survived by three daughters, Cathy (Mike) Lahey, Barb Grant, Elaine (Drew) Foster; two sons, Jim (Mary Jean) Kleingers and Mark (Pam) Kleingers; 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Parish - Holy Trinity Church, 201 Clark St., Middletown with Father John Civille as celebrant. Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding Funeral Home, 3805 Roosevelt Blvd (at Bonita Dr). Burial will be at Woodside Cemetery & Arboretum.

Donations in her name can be made to The Civille Scholarship Fund for Bishop Fenwick High School, 4855 State Route 122, Franklin, Ohio 45005.

Please sign the guestbook online at WilsonSchrammSpaulding.com.