Ruth Irene (Caraway) Morris

Ruth Irene Caraway Morris, 105 of Huntington, West Virginia went to be with her husband, Charles B. Morris, Jr. the love of her life for 55 years, in heaven on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Services will be held on Friday at 1:00 p.m. Woodmere Abbey of Peace with Rev. Davontae Edwards officiating. Ruth was born on December 23, 1917, in Raywood, Pocahontas County, WV, daughter of the late Tempest L. and Edith Caraway. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her older brother, Paul Caraway, her twin brother, Wray Caraway, and her sister-in-law, Lou Anne Morris Browning.

In 1935, Ruth graduated from Warren G. Harding High School in Warren, Ohio. In 1936, she started work at a General Electric lamp factory while she attended Youngstown College and Ohio State to become a Registered Occupational Therapist. Ruth attended the University of Southern California to become a Registered Physical Therapist. Her occupational therapy career began in 1944 and her physical therapy career in 1946.

She worked at Cleveland Clinic before arriving in Huntington in 1951. Ruth was one of only five physical therapists in the state of West Virginia. Ruth worked at St. Mary’s Hospital and Jones Orthopedic Hospital with polio patients. She continued her 32-year career with Dr. James Heckman and Dr. George Smith, orthopedic surgeons.

Ruth received the Pioneer Award given by the West Virginia Physical Therapy Association in recognition for leadership, dedication, and service to the physical therapy profession in 2007. She was a longtime member of Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, the Marshall University Alumni Association and the Ohio State Alumni Association.

She is survived by two sons, Charles B. Morris III (Rebecca) and McDonald C. Morris (Katrina), two grandchildren, Charles Matthew Morris and Caleigh Grace Morris, step-granddaughter, Marian White (Christian) and her Belford Condo family and friends, who she cared for and loved. Online memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.beardmortuary.com.