Ruth Lavinia Zingarelli

Ruth Lavinia (Smith) Zingarelli passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Ruth was born on January 22, 1931, and lived in Wickford, Rhode Island with her parents John H. Smith, Jr. and Sarah Ruth (Strobridge) Smith. Ruth is survived by her sister Margaret (Smith) Anderson. Ruth is survived by her son John Nicholas, his wife Cindy and their son John Nicholas II, his wife Christina and their daughters Makenzie Harper and Addison Elayne, and their son David and his girlfriend Erin. Ruth is also survived by her daughter Sarah. Ruth is preceded in death by her husband, Nicholas Louis.

Ruth was beloved by all who knew her. A long-time member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 66 in Decatur, she was Unit President twice and District President twice. As a Department VA Deputy, she volunteered over 15,000 hours at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, including making phone calls for the Women Veterans Program in her later years.

She was active in her neighborhood book club and was a parishioner at the University Heights United Methodist Church.

Visitation will be from 12:00-1:00 p.m. at A. S. Turner in Decatur on Thursday, June 4th, with the service from 1:00-2:00 p.m. If you have a story to tell or a tribute to give, there will be time during the service to do so.

There will be an escorted procession to the Decatur Cemetery where she will be buried next to her husband. From 3:00-5:00 p.m., there will be a reception at the American Legion Post 66.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the USO.

A.S Turner, 2773 N. Decatur Rd., Decatur 30033

Decatur Cemetery, 229 Bell St., Decatur 30030

American Legion Post 66, 30 Covington Rd, Avondale Estates 30002 USO - https://georgia.uso.org/hartsfield-jackson-airport