Ruth Byrd Cobb

Mrs. Ruth Byrd Cobb, 92, died early Sunday morning, December 13, 2009, in Phoebe-Sumter Medical Center. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16 in the Martha McDonald Moore Memorial Chapel at Magnolia Manor with the Rev. Dennis Stalvey and the Rev. John Brodess officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers will include Bryan Joiner, Lee H. Joiner, Keith Moncus, and Michael Hale. Born March 18, 1917 in Locust Grove, Georgia, Mrs. Cobb was a daughter of the late Rev. Henry Lee Byrd and Anna Levira Moore Byrd. She and William Hawkins Cobb were married on August 31, 1946, and they shared more than 57 years of life together before he preceded her in death on January 8, 2004. Mrs. Cobb was a graduate of Young Harris Junior College in 1936, and afterwards a graduate of the University of Georgia with a B.S. Degree in Home Economics. In 1946, she earned a Masters Degree in Home Economics from the University of Georgia, being the first person ever to receive that degree from U.G.A. Also during her graduate work, she studied fashion design at Columbia University in New York City. From 1945 through 1948, she was on the faculty staff for Georgia Southwestern College, where she taught Home Economics. While on faculty staff at GSW, she took flying lessons at the then Southerfield Airport, earning enough flight time to fly solo. Mrs. Cobb was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Americus, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was a past president of the Junior Welfare League. She was also active in garden club work and enjoyed gardening, interior design, bridge, oil painting, and writing short stories of her life and loved ones. Memorial contributions may be made to the League of the Good Samaritan, 2001 South Lee Street, Americus, GA 31709. Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn C. Cavender and Robert L. Cavender, Jr. of Americus; a son and daughter-in-law, William Henry Cobb, II and Ann Cobb of Atlanta; a brother-in-law, J. Preston Cobb, of Americus; a grandson, Bryan Cobb Joiner and his wife, Lindsay Marie Joiner of Plains; and a great grandson, Dylan Lee Joiner of Plains. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Dr. Charles William Byrd of Richmond, VA and Henry Lee Byrd of Sewickley, PA. Hancock Funeral Home, 427 South Lee St., Americus, GA is in charge of arrangements.