Ruth Orlea Clay Woolard

Ruth Orlea Woolard was born on January 15, 1941 in Oakhill, West Virginia. After suffering trauma at a young age her parents moved her to Pataskala, Ohio where she met the love of her life, Donald Woolard. Ruth & Donald married in July of 1961. Seven short years later, in 1967, Ruth gave birth to their daughter, Lori Anne in late November. Donald got a job with IBM, and in 1984 they moved the Woolard family of three to Round Rock, Texas. They stayed in Texas until Donald retired from IBM in 1955. Ruth & Donald traveled for a short period of time until they landed in Mount Hope, West Virginia, where they were surrounded by family. In 2002 they made their final move to Boutte, Louisiana to escape the West Virginia winters and to be near their daughter and her family.
Ruth’s talents were quilting, reading, baking sweets, and gardening. If you ever received a Ruth original please treasure it! She put so much into her pieces. In her later years living with Parkinson’s and Dementia she became the queen of the one liners. Her delivery was quick and witty!
Ruth loved her grandchildren immensely. She was estranged from Rebecca Clay Hylton for several years, but they were reunited in the beginning of her illness. She was also able to meet and spend valuable time with her great-grandchildren, Mason and Maddison Hylton. This brought her so much joy! She was an integral part of her other grandchild, Dalton’s upbringing and day to day life.
Ruth is survived by her childhood sweetheart of 62 years, Donald Woolard; daughter, Lori Bergeron (Kip); grandchildren, Rebecca Clay Hylton (Cody), and Dalton Bergeron; great-grandchildren, Mason, and Maddison Hylton; many nieces and nephews, and the only surviving sibling, Frank Clay (Debbie).
She was preceded in death by her son, Steve Clay; parents, Lesta & Carl Clay; brother, Lorn Clay (Connie); and sisters, Victoria Bolen (Mike), and Carol Bennett (Bill).
Per Ruth’s wishes, there will be no services.
Falgout Funeral Home is honored to serve the Woolard family.