Pleasant Garden, NC - Ruth Rachel (Coffman) Cleavenger, age 89, passed away Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, at Clapps Nursing Center in Pleasant Garden, N.C., following a brief illness. Prior to that illness, she resided in her home in Pleasant Garden since 2020 and attended New Covenant Church of Pleasant Garden, N.C. Ruth was a longtime resident of Rawlings, Md., for 55 years and was a member of Cornerstone Baptist Church, Cumberland, Md., before relocating to North Carolina.

Born in Moatsville, W.Va., on Sept. 24, 1936, to the late Chester and Audra Coffman, she was married July 21, 1954, in Oakland, Md., to Willard Cleavenger, who preceded her in death on June 9, 2013. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Agnes (Coffman) Huff and husband Jack Huff, of Moatsville, W.Va.; brother-in-law, Leo Shaw; and sister-in-law, Caroline Shaw, of Philippi, W.Va.

Ruth is survived by one son, Brian Cleavenger and wife Kendra of Greensboro, N.C.; grandsons, Wade Cleavenger and Blair Cleavenger, also of Greensboro, N.C.; nieces, Libby Nestor of Moatsville, W.Va., and Gloria Wentz, of Philippi, WV.

Ruth graduated as salutatorian from Kasson High School (Kasson, W.Va.) Class of 1954. Upon graduating, she worked as Kasson High School secretary from 1954 to 1959. She and her husband, Willard, moved to Harford County, Md., where she graduated from Harford Junion College Class of 1962. Ruth and Willard relocated and set up homes in LaVale, Md., and then longtime residence in Rawlings, Md. Ruth graduated from Frostburg State College, Frostburg, Md., Class of 1965 majoring in education. She then taught girls' physical education at Cresaptown Elementary School, Cresaptown, Md., from 1965-1967, then at Bruce High School, Westernport, Md., 1967-1970. Ruth became a devoted mother and homemaker after the birth of her son, Brian. She fostered a life of simple and independent living. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, cake decorating, volunteering with Cub Scouts, and "riding shotgun" with her husband Willard's various activities, especially bluegrass festivals. Ruth was an accomplished seamstress. She sewed countless articles of clothing, quilts, and other crafts and was proud to be awarded many prize ribbons for those items at the Allegany County Ag Fair, Cumberland, Md., and Quilters Guild, Grantsville, Md.

Friends and family will be received at Scarpelli Funeral Home, P.A., 15205 McMullen Hwy. SW, Cresaptown, MD, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., followed by a funeral service at 12:30 p.m., officiated by Pastor David Hattenfield of Cornerstone Baptist Church.

Interment will be with her husband, Willard, at Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Rocky Gap, Flintstone, MD, immediately following the funeral at 2 p.m.

A memorial service will be held at New Covenant Church, Pleasant Garden, N.C., at a later date.

Condolences may be left at www.scarpellifh.com.