Annie Ruth Spanks was born February 2, 1948, in Tuskegee, Alabama, to the late Alonzo Spinks, Sr. and Eliza Elizabeth Slaughter Spinks. The family later moved to Red Bank, New Jersey, where Ruth spent most of her life. On May 10, 2015, the Lord saw that her road had become too difficult to travel; so He called her home.

Ruth was preceded in death by her father, Alonzo Spinks Sr.; mother, Eliza Elizabeth Spinks; and two brothers, Hosea and Willie Lee Spinks.

She leaves to cherish her memories two sons, Donald (Rosetta) Gardner and George Gardner, Jr; two daughters, Carrie Ann Gardner and Diane (Johnnie) Wilson, all of Huntsville, Alabama; two sisters, Helen King of Winterville, North Carolina, and Eliza Spinks of Lakewood, New Jersey; one brother, Alonzo (Freddie Mae) Spinks of Winterville, North Carolina; three aunts, Addie Lane of Cleveland, Ohio, Enner Ree Phillip of Tamarac, Florida, and Willie Mae (Vince) Brown, of Cleveland, Ohio;  two great aunts, Annie Love McKenzie of Romeo, Michigan; two great uncles, Avery (Elsie) Burton and Orlando (Delores) Burton, all of Pontiac, Michigan; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews; cousins, and other close family and friends.