Ruth Barrow Puett was born October 23, 1923 on Mistletoe Street in San Antonio, Texas. She passed away peacefully at her home in Austin, Texas on Thursday, August 2, 2012.
She was the daughter of Erwin Sterling Barrow and Lucile Chenault Barrow and was raised with her brother, Erwin, Jr., in Houston, Texas. She attended Sophie Newcomb College, now Tulane, in New Orleans during World War II. She graduated from the University of Houston, and shortly thereafter met Nelson Puett, Jr., while he was on leave in 1943. They married on February 11, 1944 in Houston and together raised three children- Ruth Lucile Puett, Julia Puett Howry and Nelson Harwood Puett.
Mrs. Puett and her husband were partners in Nelson Puett & Associates, established in September of 1950. They also created the Nelson Puett Foundation and were active philanthropists in Austin and the Central Texas community. She was particularly fond of her Headliners' Supper Club, her gardening club, her needlepoint club, her Wednesday night Jeffery's gathering with her friends, and Sundays at the movies and supper with daughter Lucile.
As a young girl, Ruth loved spending time at the family ranch in Anahuac and her summers on the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas. She continued to enjoy her time in Hunt over the years, and was especially happy to celebrate the Hunt Centennial in May of 2012 with her beloved schnauzer companion, Millie. She also had a lifelong love of gardening and traveling. Mrs. Puett had the opportunity to visit all seven continents, and instilled this passion on to her children and grandchildren.
Ruth was a beautiful lady, gracious to the end, always thanking anyone for the slightest kindness, from repositioning a pillow to simply coming to see her. Her life is best remembered for her positive, energetic outlook and she recently said, "You know, I've done everything I've wanted to do in life."
The family would like to thank Sylvia Rios for the wonderful care she gave to our Mom for the last five years.
Mrs. Puett was predeceased by her husband, Nelson Puett, Jr., and her daughter Julie. She is survived by her daughter Ruth Lucile Puett and her son Nelson Harwood Puett and his wife Caroline. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, Nicholas Kellogg Moise and his wife Suayn, Daniel Barrow Moise and his wife Amanda, Virginia Howry Liverman and her husband Brian, Alan Sterling Howry and his wife Catherine, Caroline Chenault Puett, and Elizabeth Barrow Puett, and a multitude of great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 4, at 11:00 am at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church at 3208 Exposition Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78703 or the Helping Hand Home for Children, P.O. Box 4185, Austin, Texas 78765.