Mrs. Laura Ruth Blake Speight, age 94, of Rockingham, N.C., passed away on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014 at the home of her daughter Anna in Cary, N.C.

Mrs. Speight was born on Oct. 29, 1919 in Albemarle, Stanly County, N.C., the daughter of the late Stanback Martin Blake and Sallie Ann Ballard Blake. She was a member of East Rockingham Pentecostal Holiness Church and later Living Waters Pentecostal Holiness Church. Mrs. Speight was very active in her churches, serving as a Sunday school teacher for many years, numerous positions in the Ladies Auxiliary and she sang in the choirs. She worked for many years at JP Stevens Hannah Pickett plant in East Rockingham.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Marie Speight Wallace; granddaughters, Jenni Wallace Cornwell and Janet Fuller Wagner; her brothers, Fred Blake, Ray Blake and Henry Blake; and sisters, Myrtle B. Dawkins, Clara B. Smith, Wilma B. Knight and Miriam Blake.

She is survived by daughters, Anna Speight Ferdinando (husband John) of Cary, N.C. and Carol Speight Dieterman of Rockford, Ill.; a son, Harvey D. (H.D.) Speight Jr. (fiancé Donna Harsdorff) of Belle Chasse, La.; son-in-law, Jim Wallace (wife Pearl) of Rockingham; daughter-in-law, Jeanette Lindsey of Ocean Springs, Miss.; 13 grandchildren; 27 great- grandchildren; and 19 great-great-grandchildren.

The family will see friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Carter Funeral Home in Rockingham.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Colonial Chapel of Carter Funeral Home with the Rev. Don Dawkins, the Rev. Layne Wallace and the Rev. Mike Eddinger officiating. Interment will follow in Richmond County Memorial Park.

Condolences may be made online at www.carterfuneral.net.

Paid obituary

The Richmond County Daily Journal

Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014