Nancy Ruth Guest

COWPENS, SC - Nancy “Ruth” Gowan Guest, 85, went to be with the Lord on May 12, 2023.

A memorial service will be held 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at Carmel Baptist Church, 1145 Pineville-Matthews Road, Matthews, NC. The family will receive friends from 9:00 a.m. until 9:45 a.m., at the church. The visitation and service will take place in the Uptown Auditorium of the church. For those wishing or needing to attend virtually, you make access the service at the following livestream link:

https://youtube.com/live/HG_DONRVp58?feature=share

She leaves behind her brother, Harold Martin Gowan and wife, Jo Ann Gwinn;  daughter, Jayda Maria and son-in-law, Rick Alan Griffiths; daughter-in-law Amelia King; grandchildren, Jackie Dean Guest III and his wife, Stephanie Nicole Guest, Joseph Michael Guest, Tyler Andrew Griffiths and his wife, Meghan Paige Griffiths and Carson Thomas Griffiths; as well as great-grandchildren, Aidan James Guest, Owen David Guest, and Asher Dean Guest.

Ruth was born to James and Virginia Bulman Gowan on April 9^th, 1938, in Roebuck, South Carolina. After her mother passed away in 1942, she was raised by her maternal grandmother, Nannie Jane Mullins. When Nannie Jane passed in 1953, she and her brother, Harold, went to live with her aunt Mary Alice “Antalice” Bishop, her husband, Elford and their son, Donald. Ruth graduated from Roebuck High School in 1956. While at school, she was on the 1954 State Championship basketball team, where she was the starting guard. She was also a star softball player as well.

Ruth worked at Spartan Grain Mill Company after high school, which is where she met the love of her life, Jack. They were married in 1958 and enjoyed over six decades of life together. In 1959 they had their first child, Jackie Dean Jr., while living in Clemson, SC. Once Jack graduated from Clemson, they moved to Asheville, NC, where Jayda was born and to Inman, SC, where Jill was born. From there they moved to Charlotte where she and Jack joined Carmel Baptist Church in 1968.  Ruth worked on many committees, served with the youth for many years, going on youth retreats and coached girls’ softball.  She was a Wee School teacher at Carmel Baptist Church for 18 years. She not only loved her own children, but all children. Due to her love of softball, she also played for Charlotte Women’s softball leagues, where she pitched. She played as well on the Carmel Women’s Softball team.  Ruth loved to entertain, finding reasons on any and every occasion to have friends and family over to the house so she could cook and love on them. She lived for her family and would do anything she could to help in any and every situation.  Ruth also loved her Carmel family and was dedicated to work when ever needed.

When Jack retired, they moved to the family homestead in Cowpens SC. She enjoyed her garden, working in the yard, canning and also joined a Red Hatters group.

Ruth is preceded in death by husband, Jackie Dean Guest Sr; parents, James Martin and Virginia Bulman Gowan; and children, Jackie Dean Guest, Jr. and Jill Gowan Guest.

Ruth’s interment will take place at Fort Jackson Cemetery, 4170 Percival Rd, Columbia, SC, where she will rest at the side of her husband, Jack.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests, with gratitude, that memorial contributions, in Ruth’s honor, be made to The Alzheimer’s Association ( alz.org ).