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Ruth Adelyne Gilbert, 94, of Black Mountain, died peacefully on July 16, 2016 at Western North Carolina Baptist Home in Asheville where she had made her home for the past 5 years. Born on December 15, 1921 in Black Mountain, Ruth was the daughter of Claude and Elizabeth Stepp Gilbert. Miss Gilbert had been a member of First Baptist Black Mountain since the age of nine and was a Sunday School member, a WMU member and served as the church librarian for many years.
A graduate of Black Mountain High School, Mars Hill Junior College and Women’s College (now UNC-Greensboro), Miss Gilbert also held a masters degree from Western Carolina. This prepared her for a 38-year teaching career at Taylorsville, Belmont, Swannanoa and Black Mountain. The last 16 years were spent as the librarian at Black Mountain Primary School where more than one child was heard to say “There goes my ‘lie-berry!’”. Ruth spoke with great affection for all her students, having vivid and wonderful memories of them until the end. It was evident that she had a true calling for educating, caring and teaching young people in the communities she served.
Miss Gilbert’s family would like to express appreciation for her church family who, even after she moved to Asheville, made sure that Ruth could get to her church every Sunday that she was able. Deepest gratitude to the servant staff at WNC Baptist Home who looked after her every need for the past five years and who compassionately allowed her to pass peacefully with dignity, grace and free from pain.
Miss Gilbert was preceded in death by her parents as well as her brothers Bill and Guy Gilbert and her sister-in-law, Kathleen Ensley Gilbert.
Miss Gilbert is survived by her nieces Jane Andrews (Joe) of Knoxville TN, Cindy Bruce (David) of Black Mountain and Suzanne Mossburg (Albert) of Chesnee SC.
She is also survived by grand-nieces Kathleen Thomas (Ryan) of Nashville TN, Elizabeth Thomason (Matthew) of Houston TX, and Lauren and Ansley Mossburg of Chesnee SC, grand-nephews Jurdan and Logan Mossburg, also of Chesnee SC, great-grand-niece Anna Kathleen Thomason and great-grand- nephew, Paul Russell Thomason, both of Houston TX.
Miss Gilbert is also survived by her sister-in-law Jewel Traxler Gilbert of Arden and special cousins Steve Ensley (Renne’) of Leicester and John Speed of Oxford. She leaves behind many wonderful and treasured friends at First Baptist Church, Black Mountain and her special lunch-buddy and church-going driver, Frances Rucker of Swannanoa.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to First Baptist Church, 130 Montreat Rd. Black Mountain NC 28711.
Services for Miss Gilbert will be held Thursday, July 21, 2016 at 11:00am at First Baptist Church in Black Mountain. Burial will be private.
The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the church.

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