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The Visual ‘Ruthie Leming’

Hello Morning Edition listeners! I hope you enjoyed Debbie Elliott’s report about my sister Ruthie Leming, and the Starhill community. Here’s a little Ruthie 101 for those new to the story. The key things to read about Ruthie and community — besides, of course, The Little Way Of Ruthie Leming, are my Real Simple essay […]
Troy Oxford/Dallas Morning News
Troy Oxford/Dallas Morning News

Hello Morning Edition listeners! I hope you enjoyed Debbie Elliott’s report about my sister Ruthie Leming, and the Starhill community. Here’s a little Ruthie 101 for those new to the story. The key things to read about Ruthie and community — besides, of course, The Little Way Of Ruthie Leming, are my Real Simple essay from March, about coming home in general, and the recent cover story in the Baton Rouge Business Report, in which I make a cultural case for returning to south Louisiana. 

To give you a visual sense of Starhill and St. Francisville, and my sister during her cancer fight, here are a few videos:

1) Ruthie and Mike, Mam and Paw, dancing to “Brown-Eyed Girl,” Ruthie and Mike’s song, at her 2010 fundraising concert in St. Francisville.

2) David Morgan, Mr. Ronnie’s son, singing “Louisiana Saturday Night” at the 2010 fundraising concert. Seemed like the whole town was there.

3) Ruthie, desperately ill from cancer and chemotherapy, briefly thanking the readers of this blog for all their prayers.

4) Ruthie, who prayed to live at least long enough to see her oldest daughter, Hannah, graduate from high school, at the moment that prayer was answered.

5) Ruthie was known for her love of going barefoot. Her pallbearers took their dress shoes off when they got to the Starhill Cemetery, and carried her coffin to its grave in their bare feet. This was their final tribute to her: Here’s that video:

Finally, below the jump, some photos of the people you heard in Debbie Elliott’s report this morning, and others relevant to the story:

 

Ronnie Morgan
Ronnie Morgan

 

Leming family, February 2010, six days after diagnosis
Leming family, February 2010, six days after diagnosis
Ruthie and her daughter Claire, in hospital, two days after diagnosis
Ruthie and her daughter Claire, in hospital, two days after diagnosis

 

Ruthie & Mike Leming, February 2010
Ruthie & Mike Leming, February 2010
Debbie Elliott reports from the crawfish boil at Ronnie's camp
Debbie Elliott reports from the crawfish boil at Ronnie’s camp
Paw and Mam, Ruthie's parents
Paw and Mam, Ruthie’s parents
Ruthie & Abby, dancing on the bar at Angelle's Whiskey River Landing
Ruthie & Abby, dancing on the bar at Angelle’s Whiskey River Landing
Aunt Ruthie telling my son Lucas goodbye for the last time
Aunt Ruthie telling my son Lucas goodbye for the last time
Ruthie's last birthday party, May 15, 2011, at the Magnolia Cafe in St. Francisville
Ruthie’s last birthday party, May 15, 2011, at the Magnolia Cafe in St. Francisville
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