Ruth Liner Varnell

Ruth Liner Varnell Ruth was called to be with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ on December 9, 2011, she was a resident of Cleveland. She was born in Bradley County and grew up in the Bellefounte Community. Ruth graduated from Charleston High School and played basketball for the first basketball team Jim Smitty coached. She was receptionist at Brown Stove Works and retired after 44 years with Brown Stove. Ruth was a member of Epsilon Delta Masters Chapter in Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority and enjoyed the fellowship and fun doing work within the community. She was an avid reader of books from the Cleveland Library as well as an avid Contract Bridge Player. She was very proud when she received her Life Masters Award from The American Contract Bridge League in 1993. She looked forward to playing Contract Bridge with her friends, especially on Tuesdays. Ruth served as Youth Director at First Lutheran Church for several years and enjoyed traveling with the youth and her husband to youth gatherings at Charlotte, NC, U.T. Knoxville and other youth gatherings throughout the area. She worked in several areas of fellowship at the church. She was preceded in death by her parents, Jess M. Liner and May Goodner Liner. Survivors include her husband of 55 years of marriage, E. Winston Varnell; three sisters, Pat Liner Jones of Jacksonville, Florida, Faye Liner Collins and Sue Liner Chambers and husband Elmer of Cleveland; one brother, Max Liner and wife Sue of Cleveland; three nephews, Craig Liner, Brian Collins and Jay Collins all of Cleveland and several great nieces and nephews of Cleveland. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at First Lutheran Church (located back of the US Forestry Service) with the Reverend Robert Seaton officiating. Interment will follow in Hilcrest Memorial Gardens with Gary Ball, Dr. Blake Peterson, Bill Casteel, Jay Collins, Jerry Johnson, II, and Brian Collins serving as pallbearers. Dr. Walter Peterson will serve as honorary pallbearer. A white dove release ceremony will conclude the service. The family will receive friends from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Monday, December 12, 2011 at Fike Funeral Home. The family request in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to, First Lutheran Church, 195 McIntire Dr. NE, Cleveland, TN 37311 in Ruth's name. We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Varnell family guestbook at www.fikefh.com