Georgia-born woman joined the Civil Air Patrol in World War II
Ruth Ione Parkman Henry passed away peacefully on March 21, 2021, in the care of her loving family. She was born on October 16, 1923, in Buena Vista, Ga., the daughter of Douglas Cleveland Parkman and Beatrice McAllister Parkman. Ruth grew up in Columbus, Ga. She was an active and fun-loving young woman who played basketball and tennis and was voted most athletic girl in her high school class. She loved dancing and big band music and was a prize-winning jitterbugger. She danced in an Atlanta Opera Company production of Marilyn My Marilyn. During World War II, Ruth took an interest in flying, had flight lessons and joined the Civil Air Patrol. She went to work for Bell Aircraft in Marietta, Ga., and later she became an aircraft communicator at the Atlanta Airport. There she met Edwin “Cub” Henry, a captain in the Army Air Corps, and they were married in April 1946. Ruth and Cub built four houses in their first seven years of marriage, including two on Lake George, where they raised their family. Ruth led Girl Scout troops, learned to sail, taught tennis lessons, did volunteer work in the community, and welcomed children of family and friends for summers at the lake, including hosting her “Austrian daughter,” AFS student Margarete Weitzendorf, for an American year. Ruth most enjoyed all of the celebratory holiday and birthday meals with family and friends around her dining room table throughout the years. Halloween especially captured her imagination, and she made the most fabulous costumes, including a Santa suit, clown costumes and even a hot dog costume for her little Jack Russell Terrier. She loved all kinds of dance, from ballet to Fosse; going to tennis tournaments and dressage events; and playing bridge and puzzles. She was an avid reader and especially loved the novels of P.D. James. She treasured the many lasting friendships she made wherever she lived and traveled. When they retired in 1980, Ruth and Cub hit the road for more than six years of traveling through every state in the nation and every province in Canada. They then settled in at Redrocks in Burlington, Vt., to be near their children, and Ruth continued to be active in the community. She made close friendships with neighbors and several women at Twin Oaks water aerobics classes. After Cub passed away in 1994, Ruth lived on her own until 2018…
Georgia-born woman joined the Civil Air Patrol in World War II
Ruth Ione Parkman Henry passed away peacefully on March 21, 2021, in the care of her loving family. She was born on October 16, 1923, in Buena Vista, Ga., the daughter of Douglas Cleveland Parkman and Beatrice McAllister Parkman. Ruth grew up in Columbus, Ga. She was an active and fun-loving young woman who played basketball and tennis and was voted most athletic girl in her high school class. She loved dancing and big band music and was a prize-winning jitterbugger. She danced in an Atlanta Opera Company production of Marilyn My Marilyn. During World War II, Ruth took an interest in flying, had flight lessons and joined the Civil Air Patrol. She went to work for Bell Aircraft in Marietta, Ga., and later she became an aircraft communicator at the Atlanta Airport. There she met Edwin “Cub” Henry, a captain in the Army Air Corps, and they were married in April 1946. Ruth and Cub built four houses in their first seven years of marriage, including two on Lake George, where they raised their family. Ruth led Girl Scout troops, learned to sail, taught tennis lessons, did volunteer work in the community, and welcomed children of family and friends for summers at the lake, including hosting her “Austrian daughter,” AFS student Margarete Weitzendorf, for an American year. Ruth most enjoyed all of the celebratory holiday and birthday meals with family and friends around her dining room table throughout the years. Halloween especially captured her imagination, and she made the most fabulous costumes, including a Santa suit, clown costumes and even a hot dog costume for her little Jack Russell Terrier. She loved all kinds of dance, from ballet to Fosse; going to tennis tournaments and dressage events; and playing bridge and puzzles. She was an avid reader and especially loved the novels of P.D. James. She treasured the many lasting friendships she made wherever she lived and traveled. When they retired in 1980, Ruth and Cub hit the road for more than six years of traveling through every state in the nation and every province in Canada. They then settled in at Redrocks in Burlington, Vt., to be near their children, and Ruth continued to be active in the community. She made close friendships with neighbors and several women at Twin Oaks water aerobics classes. After Cub passed away in 1994, Ruth lived on her own until 2018…
