County native to celebrate 102nd birthday
Progress photo by Becky Long Clay County native Ruth Lillian Ford Penland relaxes during a 2018 visit to the Progress newspaper o ce on her 100th birthday. This year Penland is celebrating her 102nd birthday on June 19 at her home in Swannanoa with her family conducting a walk-by celebration.
Ruth Lillian Ford Penland has seen a lot in the hundred years since she was born, and with a memory that rivals a 20 year old’s, she can recall most all of it.
She remembers the first car in Clay County owned by “Mr. O’Neal”; the first radio and the first TV. She has lived through 17 presidents of the United States — Woodrow Wilson through Donald Trump.
When asked what contributed to her longevity, Penland said simply, “Hard work and the Grace of God.”
Ruth and twin brother Rex Herman Ford were born in the Warne community on June 19, 1918.
They were the children of D. Edney and Bessie Sloder Ford. The twins had other siblings, Wayne and Leonard, and sisters Lois and Sue Ford. Her grandparents George R. and Rena Bridges Ford, natives of Buncombe County. The family moved to Clay County in 1914.
Penland started her education in one-room Pisgah School with Mary Ray and Mattie Evans as her teachers. In the third grade she transferred to Ogden Elementary School.
In the ninth grade, Ruth attended Hayesville High School where she graduated in 1935 as salutatorian in her class of 25 graduates.
“They only had 11 grades back then,” she said.
Education was important to the Penland family. Ruth said she had perfect attendance the last five years she was in school.
The class of 1935 had special meaning to Ruth. It was at Hayesville that she met her high school sweetheart and fellow graduate, George A. Penland. The pair married Aug. 28, 1937.
Church has also been an important part of Penland’s life. She recalls transferring her membership from Mt. Pisgah Baptist to Oak Forest Methodist Church where she enjoyed being active in programs.
Ruth was also active in her community. She serviced as president and secretary of the Riverside Home Extension Club, president of Hayesville PTA, 4-H Club and she even served as the newspaper reporter for Clay County News.
While they lived in Hayesville, George and Ruth were dairy operators, owners of Penland Feed and Poultry Company for 15 years and owners of the State Wholesale Company, serving three states, according to Ruth.
With so much on their plates, the Penlands still found time to parent five foster children.
Ruth and George also had three sons: Jerry Ford, James “Jim” Rex and Joe David Penland.
In 1959, Ruth said they left the places they loved — Clay County and Oak Forest Methodist Church and moved to Swannanoa, “So our three sons and families would have a better financial future.”
In Swannanoa George worked for Beacon Blanket Mfg. and Ruth worked at Gerber Baby Food Company. Then she worked at Memorial Mission Hospital in Asheville for 15 years where she retired as supervisor of admissions.
In the 1960s, the couple lived in and managed Berryman-Hall Funeral Home in Asheville. In 1970, they changed the name to Penland & Sons Funeral Home. George, Ruth and Joe were all licensed funeral directors. They lived there until they lost the business to fire in 1986.
The couple moved back to Swannanoa because they had another funeral home there since 1976. Ruth and son Jim and grandson Jason are still operating it today.
After George’s death, Ruth became CEO and manager of the funeral home.
In addition to out-living her husband, she has buried two sons. Jerry died in 2005 and she said Joe died in 2014 from agent orange.
In addition to family, church and work, she has other interests. “I am an avid fan of the Braves and the UNC Tarheels,” she said.
While Swannanoa has been Penland’s home for many years, it seems Clay County has a permanent home in her heart.
“Hayesville is still my hometown,” she said. “I love Hayesville.”
This story is an updated reprint from the June 2018 edition of the Clay County Progress with Ruth Penland turned 100.