Annie Ruth Rhea, 86

October 22, 1938 – April 13, 2025

After a fall and a brief illness, at 7:30 AM on April 13th, 2025 at Baptist Hospital Oxford, Annie Ruth Rhea passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus while sleeping. She was retired from the garment industry after many years of diligent service. In her retirement years she enjoyed spending time outside tending to her flowers and yard and taking care of any animals that happened to come through and need a meal.

She was born on October 28th, 1938 in New Albany, MS, and spent most of her life in Etta, Ms where she grew up helping her grandparents farm and run a small dairy business. This is where the seeds were sewn for her love for all animals, domestic or wild. After her graduation from Pinedale High School she married and spent time in North Carolina, Arkansas and Tennessee before finding her way home in 1978.

She was preceded in death by her parents, H.B. and Patty Sue Clary, and a special cousin, Janie Lawrence Davis, who she loved like a sister. She is survived by her son, Patrick Rhea and her constant canine companion, Happy.

Special thanks go out to all the doctors, nurses and hospice staff at Baptist Oxford for taking such good care of her and making sure that her final days were as pain free and peaceful as possible. I want to especially thank her friends Kathryn Bateman and Judy Collier for the visits, phone calls and goodies that they brought to her at home. She loved to visit with friends, so those times meant the world to her.

New Albany Funeral Home and Cremations is in charge of arrangements, and per her wishes, she will be cremated and her ashes scattered at home with a memorial service at a later date, so there will be no visitation or funeral service. She was of the opinion that if you wanted to visit with her it should be done while alive so that she could enjoy it.

There is no need for flowers, but if you feel inclined to do something to honor her memory, please consider a donation to your local animal rescue.

Please follow the funeral home link above for further information, or to send online condolences or memorial gifts.