Jesup, Ga.

Ruth Louise Bridges Lucas, 88, died Friday, November 25, 2016, after a long and happy life.

She was married to her husband, Donald Lucas during, a Pittsburgh blizzard in 1950 and remained devoted to him until his passing in 2006. She loved, and is survived by, her three children, Matthew Lucas of Baltimore, MD, Laura Cooper of Jesup, GA and Lynn Gatehouse who is married to Robert Gatehouse of Pleasanton, CA. She loved her wonderful grandchildren, Lucas Cooper, Christopher Gatehouse, and Stephen Gatehouse along with his wife Tiffany and delighted in the great blessing of a great grandchild Logan. She was very close to her dear sister Sue Kumnik, husband Gerald and three of the best nieces and nephews a family could hope for, Genna, Greg and Alex Kumnik and his wife Lisa and their two children Austin and Madison. She loved her brother Leslie Martz, his wife Charlene and their two children Amber and Evan Martz. She was preceded in death by her brother Robert Bridges. She is survived by a brother-in-law Gil Lucas, who kept her on her toes with a sense of humor so much like her husband Don's, and by  her five nieces and nephews Kim Young, Gary Lucas, Abby Rath, Becky Spirak and Molly Brown, but was preceded in death by their mother, Gil's wife, Suzanne Lucas.

She dearly loved her American Quarter Horses Sonny Be Best, Belle Bar O'Lena and Sonny Bar Bueno and her Tennessee Walking Horse, Command's Happy Delight and rode them until she was 85. She was good at most anything she set her mind to do. She was an excellent cook and prize winning seamstress who sewed countless costumes, matching outfits, Barbie clothes, prom and wedding dresses. She volunteered as a Sunday School teacher, Cub Scout Den Mother and as a "Horsebacker" in support of the Christian riding program at Camp Lutherlyn in Butler, PA. She was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church, STARS for the humane treatment of Tennessee Walking Horses and the American Quarter Horse Association. She loved and supported the Wayne County Marching Band.

She became the first executive secretary at Westinghouse to be permitted to work while she was pregnant and spent the majority of her life as a wife, mother and homemaker after the birth of her first child. She could make an entire meal out of an empty refrigerator and taught us to waste nothing. Ruth was fearless, generous and adventurous. She loved life and lived that way. She didn't mind if you were laughing with her or at her, as long as you were having a good time. She lived her final four years as a resident at Mossy Oak Assisted Living where she quickly became part of their family, too.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, November 30 at 2:30 pm at Epworth Methodist Church in Jesup. She will rest next to her beloved husband Don at the columbarium at Mt. Lebanon Lutheran Church in Pittsburgh, PA. Remembrances may be made to Mossy Oak Assisted Living, 1150 River Road, Jesup GA 31545 in support of the love and care they offer all of their residents.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at rinehartandsons.com . Rinehart and Sons Funeral home took care of the arrangements.