Ruth Housand Holt, 91, of Mullins passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at McLeod Regional Medical Center. She was born in Marion County on October 9, 1933, the daughter of the late Louis H. Housand and the late Golda Harrelson Housand.

Ruth was a graduate of Floyds High School where she was active in sports and especially loved playing basketball. She then obtained her degree as a dental assistant from the University of North Carolina. Ruth was a cherished dental assistant who dedicated forty-three years of her life to providing compassionate care to patients in Mullins and the surrounding communities. She was known for her kind and caring ways and her ability to ease your anxiety in the dental chair by drawing you into a pleasant conversation. She worked alongside Dr. Franklin Mason for over 26 years, after which she helped Dr. John Bilder establish his office in Mullins and finished her career working with Dr. Daniel Miller in Dillon. She found immense joy in her job. During this time, Ruth was very involved in various dental assistant associations. She served as a past president of the South Carolina Dental Assistant Association, assisted in planning state meetings, and attended national meetings as a delegate. She enjoyed attending the dental conventions where she created a network of friends and professional associates through the years.

Ruth was an avid Clemson fan having attended all the home games for close to forty years alongside her beloved husband, John. If you ever visited her home, you saw the many Clemson memorabilia they collected over the years. Her greatest love was for her Lord and Savior and her church, Mullins First Baptist. Through the years, Ruth was a Sunday School teacher, Acteens leader, served on various committees, and was a member of the Fidelis Sunday School Class. For over sixty years, she worshiped through music as a member of the Adult Choir. She will be fondly remembered and forever missed.

In addition to her parents, Ruth was predeceased by her husband of 57 years, John H. Holt, brothers, Van, Dayton, Harvey, and Needham Housand, sisters, Eunice Housand, Irene H. Hollis,  and Inez Huggins.

She is survived by a sister, Evata H. Wallace of Baltimore, Maryland and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 8, 2025, in the Fellowship Hall of Mullins First Baptist Church. Funeral services will follow the visitation beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday in the church sanctuary. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery.

If you would like to remember Ruth, the family suggests that donations be made in her memory to the Christian Life Center of Mullins First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 443, Mullins, South Carolina 29574.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to the dedicated staff of Heritage Home of Florence and the ICU Unit at McLeod Regional Medical Center for the loving and skilled care Ruth received while she was there.

An online guestbook is available at www.mearesfh.com.

Meares Funeral Home has been given the honor of serving the family.