Northwest Florida Daily News, Mary Ruth Carey Scroggin, 11 Aug 2013
Find A Grave, Mary Ruth Carey Scroggin, 11 Aug 2013
Widow of Scroggins, Orville Oliver, III (5 Oct 1923 - 13 Jun 2001) [32595:P]
(Updated 5 Jan 2014)
Mary Ruth Carey Scroggin
Birth: Oct. 19, 1927
Death: Aug. 9, 2013
Mary Ruth Carey Scroggin died peacefully at age 85 on Aug. 9 surrounded by her family. She lived a full, active and impactful life.
Mary loved her bridge games and even more her bridge partners - who often hurricane-evacuated to her house to play bridge and drink wine as the winds increasingly blew outside. But Mary was a non-drinker who vowed never to drink after her one and only hangover in 1952 at Ponchos Happy Bottom Riding Club (made famous in the Right Stuff) while living on Edwards Air Force Base.
Mary loved her Irish roots and made two trips to Ireland with her sister/cousin Peggy Speck when she was in her 70s, including hitchhiking in the Irish countryside. Her house abounds in humorous Irish sayings.
Mary was one of those unique people who positively impacted each life she came in touch with - from grandchildren who still have not told their parents what she talked with them about to all her "adopted" children who sought out her maternal insights, love and comfort. But she knew how to cut through the B.S. to say what really needed to be said - she could be incredibly blunt.
Mary meet Orville Oliver Scroggin III [32595:P] at Iowa State after he returned from WWII as a fighter pilot in Europe. Both were smitten after they met on a tennis court where she beat him. As an 29-year Air Force bride she constantly travelled the country gathering stories - from killing rats with a baseball bat in her base housing in Nebraska, to moving to Fort Walton Beach in 1962 to be a part of the initial Air Commando unit at Hurlburt, to taking four small children by herself on a flight to a new duty station in Panama (including a 1 month old baby) in 1965. She worked tirelessly and was instrumental in obtaining greater benefits for military ex-spouses.
Mary had four children (Dub [39574:P], Jeff [39523:P], Jenny [44442:P] and Clay-Bob [49014:P]), three daughters-in-law (June [49017:P], Lynn [39524:P] and Debbie [49015:P]), Jamey [52102:P] the favorite son-in-law (helps when you are the only one), 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandson - to say nothing about all those adopted family members who claim her parentage. Nothing mattered more to Mary then her family.
Thanksgiving at Mary's was a weeklong annual reunion for family and anyone else who wanted a great meal, lots of laughter, squealing, swinging grand-daughters, Frisbees and footballs in the cul-de-sac, and an annual drop in the pool for a mother or sister. One night during Thanksgiving was often set aside for her teaching her grandchildren how to properly play poker - the etiquette and the odds. She designed her house as a place for people to gather, centered on the kitchen and she loved to cook for anyone who showed up.
Her house is full of memories and art she created over a lifetime.
Mary is preceded in death by her youngest child, Clay; and her former husband.
The family will be taking visitors at Emerald Coast Funeral Home at 113 North Racetrack Road from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Aug. 12, 2013. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. at Emerald Coast, followed by a burial next to her son at Beal Memorial Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family request that people make donations to Covenant Hospice (www.covenanthospice.org) in Fort Walton Beach.
Expressions of love and sympathy may be viewed online at www.emeraldcoastfuneralhome.com.
Published in Northwest Florida Daily News on August 11, 2013
Family links:
Children:
Clay Carey Scroggin (1965 - 2011) [49014:P]
Burial:
Beal Memorial Cemetery
Fort Walton Beach
Okaloosa County
Florida, USA
Created by: Michelle Woodham
Record added: Aug 11, 2013
Find A Grave Memorial# 115265414
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