Ruth S. Hejduk - HINESVILLE - Ruth S. Hejduk, died at the age of 90, at Hospice Savannah, on Friday, October 21, 2011, after a short illness. Born February 23, 1921, at Parris Island, South Carolina, to Saxby Stowe and Marguerite Vaigneur Chaplin, she grew up in a very patriotic family. Her father and three of her brothers served in the U.S. Marines and another brother served in the U.S. Air Force. During World War II, Ruth did her part by being an Army/Air Force Observer. In 1950, she married her husband of forty-five years, Thomas Frank Hejduk. Ruth was of the Baptist faith and was a wonderful homemaker and helpmate to her husband. When she was in her early fifties, she decided to go to nursing school to become a nurse's assistant. She won a top graduates award upon her completion and worked at St. Joseph's Hospital and several nursing homes in the area. During her sixties, she worked as a property manager on Hilton Head and retired at the age of sixty-eight. She had a great work ethic whether she was working at home for her family or on the job. She will be remembered for her gardening skills, joy of telling family stories and researching family history. Ruth is survived by her children, Dot Moss, Joe Shuman (Connie), Diane Skovran (Richard), Ruth Burgstiner (Mike) and Tracy Kessler; grandchildren, Jimmy Moss, Randy Moss (Jessica), Wendy Honnerlaw, Melissa McBride (Tom), Richard Skovran (Tracy), Kim Zellner (Paul), Karey Lee (Josh) and Amanda McCarver (Todd); 13 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. Ruth is also survived by her two brothers, Bobby Chaplin (Martha) and Charlie Chaplin (Ann) and a sister-in-law, Sally Chaplin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Frank Hejduk, her brothers, Bill Chaplin, Jack Chaplin, and Johnny Chaplin; sister, Marguerite Chaplin; and great-grandchild Caleb Zellner. Visitation with the family will be held at Fairhaven Funeral Home, 2794 W. US Highway 80, Garden City, Ga 31408 on Tuesday, October 25, at 1:30 p.m. Funeral Services: 3 p.m. Tuesday, in the Chapel of the Fairhaven Funeral Home and Crematory, with interment in Oak Grove Cemetery at Meldrim, Georgia. Remembrances: Hospice Savannah, Inc., 1352 Eisenhower Drive, Savannah, Ga 31406, in memory of Ruth Chaplin Hejduk. Fairhaven Funeral Home and Crematory 2794 West US Highway 80 Garden City, Ga 31408 912 964 2862 www.fairhavenfuneralhome.net.

Published in Savannah Morning News on Monday, October 24, 2011