Ruth Dayberry

Mary Ruth Hopper Dayberry, 97, passed away on 20, January, 2017 at her home in Cherryville, North Carolina. Ruth was born on May 12, 1919 in Cleveland County to the late Furman and Cleo (Abernathy) Hopper - the youngest of 8 siblings.

Ruth grew up in Cleveland County North Carolina where she spent many happy hours swimming in the Broad river with her eight siblings. She graduated from Boiling Springs High School (now Gardner Webb College). The youngest member of a musical family, she and her twin sister Faye sang on the radio accompanied by older brother Lee Hopper on piano and Cleo and Furman on Guitar. Ruth and twin sister Faye also acted in many college musicals and plays on the GWC Campus.

Ruth worked at the Ester mill in Shelby and during that time she met the love of her life Wilbur W. Dayberry - introduced by her older sister Eva. Ruth and Wilbur married. While working as secretary at Eastside Baptist church in Shelby Ruth was very active in the Eastside community during WWII, while Wilbur served in the Merchant Marines on a ship that circled the world twice. After the war, they bought a 30-acre farm just outside of Cherryville. Wilbur worked in shoe repair in uptown Cherryville while Ruth raised Nona and Katherine and took care of the farm and her aged parents. They joined First Baptist Church where Ruth sang in the choir, taught in the nursery Sunday School, GA's, junior Bible memory work and served the church for over 60 years.

Ruth loved flowers and beautified the farm by cultivating multiple beds, plants and flowering shrubbery. Over the years, the farm was populated with fruit trees, blueberry bushes, grape vines and of course vegetables and cash crops (cotton, sweet potatoes, soy beans, hay and more.) Ruth and Wilbur opened their home to a number of young men who needed a firm foundation found in a caring Christian family home. All moved on to be God servants and remained part of the family. Ruth and Wilbur worked side by side at Dayberry Paint and Wallpaper in Cherryville until Wilbur retired at the age of 81. The "pie lady" - Ruth delivered homemade apple, apple / berry, sweet potato, apple custard (her special recipe) pies and numerous cakes to everyone in the church and uptown business for 60 years - where there was a need - large or small she was there with a pie or cake. An inspiration to her family her friend's coworkers and all who knew her. She exhibited unwavering faith through trials, sickness, loss, pain, sorrow death and despair showing all how to live by faith in Jesus.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Wilbur Dayberry and parents her twin sister Faye Wrenn, Maude Webb, Katie Webb, Eva Dayberry, Minnie Barnes, brothers Thomas and Leander Hopper.

Ruth is survived by her daughters Nona Thompson (Cecil King) of Charlotte NC, Katherine Robinson of San Antonio, Texas, grandchildren Cynthia Mates (Vincent) of Kings Mountain NC, Lisa Hodapp (Allen Sr.) of San Antonio TX, and Carrie Kahl (Jeff) of Nolanville, TX; greatgrandchildren Collin Mates, Allen J Hodapp Jr, Alexandra Ruth Hodapp, Jason Baker, Amberly Malone and Jared Kahl, and other relatives.

Funeral services will be held Saturday January 28, 2017 at noon at First Baptist Church in Cherryville, Dr. Vince Hefner officiating. Burial will follow in City Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church prior to the service (10:30 till 11:45 AM).

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Cherryville First Baptist Church or Hospice.