Ruth Durrant Kirk

Ruth Elizabeth was born February 21, 1926 in Newark, New York to Marinus and Edith DePuyt. She lived her early years in Newark with her parents and her brother, Robert Jones, moving to Shortsville, New York where she completed high school. She was a member of the honor society and played saxophone in the marching band. Ruth entered nursing school at the age of 17, graduated from Syracuse General Hospital and married Charles Durrant in 1946. She and Charles had four children, Margaret Grace Buchanan (Jack), Barbara Susan Durrant, Charles Kenneth Durrant (Cheryl) and Kathleen Durrant Rowell (John). In 1964 the family moved to Asheville, North Carolina where Ruth was a nursing supervisor at Mission Hospital. She was a charter member of the Sweet Adelines barbershop group and sang in her church choirs. When Chuck was ordained as a minister, Ruth embraced the role of pastor’s wife in various churches in the western North Carolina Methodist district. She moved to Givens Estate in 1999 after Chuck passed away. In 2001 Ruth married retired Methodist minister Theodore Kirk and together they enjoyed many years of national and international travel. Ruth passed away peacefully on February 7th. Family was her greatest joy. She is survived by her husband, four children, eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter, all of whom she held in her arms and close to her heart. Services will be held at Givens Estate Pulliam Chapel at 2 pm on Sunday February 10th. Memorials may be sent to Givens Estates Supplemental Fund, the Chapel at Givens, or Alzheimer’s research.