MOUNT AIRY — Mrs. Ruth Edna Dalton Jessup, 86, of Mount Airy, died Sunday, May 24, 2009, at Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home of Dobson. She was born Oct. 1, 1922, in Stokes County to the late Willie Isom and Mattie Hill Dalton. Mrs. Jessup was a retired homemaker and a charter member and treasurer of Word of God Baptist Church. She was the salutatorian of her graduating class and went to work for Dupont in Martinsville, Va., where she made parachutes to be used during WWII. For many years, she knitted and crocheted afghans, prayer shawls, hats, scarves and baby blankets for hospice patients. Ruth was loved by everyone who ever met her and will be greatly missed by all.

She is survived by sisters and brother-in-law, Mary Lou Hutchins of King, Rachel Pike of Winston-Salem, Nell and husband James Barnard of Winston-Salem and Bernice Anderson of Winston-Salem; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Jessup was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Jessup; sister, Marie Lawson; and brothers, Glenn and Lester Dalton.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at 2 p.m. at Word of God Baptist Church of Westfield conducted by Brother J.K. Faries with interment to follow in the Jessup Family Cemetery. The family received friends on Tuesday, May 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Howell-Nelson Funeral Service of Pilot Mountain. Mrs. Jessup will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service. Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, 401 Technology Lane, Suite 200, Mount Airy, NC 27030, or to Word of God Baptist Church, c/o Sandra East, P.O. Box 102, Westfield, NC 27053.

The family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Mountain Valley Hospice and to the staff at Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson. Online condolences may be made at www.howellfuneralservices.com.