Ruth Linley Obituary

LINLEY, Ruth Ruth Franklin (Snelling) Linley entered eternal rest on Sunday, July 9th, 2006, at her family home in Columbia. Memorial Services will be held 12noon on Friday in Greenlawn Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow at a later date in the family plot at Speedwell United Methodist Church in Allendale County. Condelenses may be sent to www.mem.com Born January 5th, 1920, in Millettville, Old Barnwell District (now Allendale County), South Carolina, Ruth was the daughter of J. J. Snelling and Cornelia Black Snelling. She graduated in 1940 from Winthrop College in Rock Hill, and taught physical education for two years, in the public schools of Walterboro and North Charleston. In 1943, she answered her country's call for physical therapists in the Army. She trained at Walter Reed Army Hospital, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on October 1, 1943. In 1944 she sailed for Liverpool, England aboard a troop ship, and served in England and France for the duration of the war, with duty at the 178th General Hospital (Reims, France), 108th General Hospital (Paris) and the 184th General Hospital (Mansfield, England). She returned to New York on November 10th, 1945, and served 18 months longer, during which time she was stationed at Atlanta, Georgia, Atlantic City, New Jersey, and at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Ruth was called back from inactive reserves to serve two additional years during the Korean War, earning promotion to Captain by the time of her discharge. Following her Army service, she worked as a physical therapist at hospitals in Washington, DC, Knoxville, TN, and Vallejo, California, before returning to Columbia. One of the pioneers of physical therapy in South Carolina, she worked at the Old Columbia Hospital, which later became Richland Memorial Hospital, and retired as head of the hospital's Physical Therapy Department. In 1956 she married Barnwell Rhett Linley, Jr. of Columbia, South Carolina, and they lived in Columbia for the rest of their lives. She was a member of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church for over 40 years. Ruth was a member of the Yellow Jessamine Garden Club and loved to play bridge with many friends. She loved to tell stories of her family and her home, and her love of her hometown inspired her to develop a website to preserve it's history, www.HistoricMillett.com. Ruth is survived by her daughter Sarah Linley Clingman, son-in-law Jay Clingman, and her two beloved granddaughters, Hannah and Rebecca Clingman, all of Columbia. She is also survived by a tremendous family tree including nieces,nephews and many, many cousins, and her close friends. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her two brothers, William J. Snelling of Columbia, and Jack Delacey Snelling, of Savannah, Georgia. Ruth wished to express special gratitude and love to the South Carolina Oncology Associates, especially Dr. Leland McElveen and staff, for their loving care over many years. She also wished to recognize the care of the staff of Hospice Care of the Tri-County, as well as her personal caregivers. In lieu of flowers, Ruth wished contributions might be made to the charity of one's choice. Visit our guestbook at wwww.charleston.net/deaths.