Ruth Chastain Starling was born in Chastain, GA on March 14, 1919, but moved to Central Florida as a child of 5 years. She was the 12th of 14 siblings, 2 of whom had died prior to her birth. One younger sister was an early fatality to the automobile before children knew not to run from behind parked cars.

In Florida, the family lived in various places in the Ocoee - Winter Garden area. They met the Starling family when L.B. Chastain began dating Daris Starling. As a result of that liaison, L.B. converted to the Church of Christ. He came home and tried to convert his family. Ruth was about 14 years old at the time. She argued with L.B. who invited her to a gospel meeting. Ruth attended, writing down every Scripture the preacher mentioned. She'd go home and study them, finding that they said just what the preacher said. She converted during the 2nd week of that meeting.

Following that, she went with the Starlings to Orlando to church at the old Jefferson St. Church of Christ (now on Concord Street). The family could not afford gas money to go back Sunday night, so they took lunch and stayed all day. That meant she and Philip spent a lot of time together. She said she doesn't remember just when they became a couple. It just happened.

Their families both did their shopping in Winter Garden Saturdays, so Ruth and Philip, always in company of others, would walk around town together. Philip asked her to marry him during her senior year at Ocoee High School. She said yes, and they were wed a little over a year later on February 19, 1938 when he was barely 17 and she was not quite 19.

Ruth wanted a home wedding, but her mother did not like them. She told the young couple to just go away and get married, and then come back and tell them after it was over. They went to a judge in Kissimmee one Saturday evening where they were married. Philip was only home for the weekends, so they each went to their respective homes and didn't tell the families until the next weekend.

That union lasted for 77+ years. To it two sons were born, Jerry and David. Ruth was unable to have more children, so they adopted the sweetest sister that could be imagined for the brothers, Elleen Cowart Starling Randolph. There have been 11 grandchildren, 10 who survive. There are also many great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

With L.B. (Ruth's brother) and Daris (Philip's sister) having married a few years before Philip and Ruth, the two families remained very close. The double-first cousins grew up almost as brothers and sisters in a life that centered on church and the Christian Home and Bible School where she, along with L.B. & Daris Chastain, worked for many years.

In her retirement, she and Philip traveled extensively, visiting every one of the 50 states and many foreign countries as well. Yet she continued her service to others as she had served through life - teaching Sunday School classes, Bible Correspondence Courses, and personal face-to-face Bible Studies. She pioneered the annual Ladies' Encampment at the Central Florida Bible Camp.

One constant prayer for her was that she live long enough to take care of Philip until he died. Yet, as she weakened in body, she was at peace with the possibility that she likely would not. Instead, she consciously left him in God's hands to be cared for with other servant-hands than hers.

She went to her eternal reward shortly after 10:00 pm, Monday, July 20 after 2 months in hospitals, nursing care, and the final week in Hospice care. During that time, in the midst of intense suffering, her face would still light up when she recognized Philip at her bedside where he would sit holding her hand.

We, her family, thank all her friends and many others who have prayed for her and for us and invite you to share your memories of her with us.