MOUNT VERNON – Ruth Harris Wiley Cassaday passed away at home on May 17, 2023. Ruth was born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and lived there until moving to New Smyrna Beach, Florida in the early 2000s.
Ruth lived life to the fullest. She liked travel, especially cruises, entertaining, home-grown tomatoes and activities at the Smyrna Yacht Club. She was an avid card player, especially bridge and canasta.
Family was very important to her. She loved calls, pictures and visits with the latest news and updates. A favorite tradition was calling family members on their birthdays to sing "Happy Birthday." While in Ohio, she was a member of The Mount Vernon Country Club, Charter Member of Town and Country Garden Club, Delta Kappa Gamma, Hospice of Knox County and First Presbyterian Church. In New Smyrna Beach, Ruth was a member of Coronado United Methodist Church and the Smyrna Yacht Club.
Ruth graduated from Mount Vernon High School, Ashland College (B.A.) and The Ohio State University (M.A.) She was a respected and successful educator with the Mount Vernon City Schools for 40 years as a teacher, principal and school board member and president. After retiring from education, Ruth pursued her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. Upon graduation, she tutored students in nursing school and worked in hospice.
Ruth is survived by children: Ann Busick (Monty) of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina; Bob (Sharon) of New Smyrna Beach, Florida and Don (Cynthia) of Marion, Ohio; sister, Marilyn Parker of Palm Bay, Florida; grandchildren: Michael, Rob (Mary Susan), David (Miryam), Tiffany, Jeff (Shelley), Ross (Melissa), Jed, Jennifer (Tim), Allison (Doug), Lindsay (Jordan) and Whitney (fiancée Garrett) and great-grands: Hazel, Amanda, David, Fisher, Ellie, Wiley, Sydney, Cole, Kaia, Quinn, Kenna, Cameron, Campbell, Jaxon, Max, Sloane and Knox.
Ruth was predeceased by husband, Bill Wiley; husband, Charles Cassaday; son, Dave Wiley and wife, Karen; parents, Dwight and Margaret Harris; sisters, Ann Wilson and Marjorie Miller; brother, Don Harris and special friend, Walter Sapp.
The burial will be in Mount Vernon, Ohio.
To anyone wishing to make a donation in Ruth’s memory, please consider the following: VITAS, 2323 State Rd. 44, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168 and The Glioblastoma Foundation in Durham, North Carolina at glioblastomafoundation.org.
