Ruth Bell Hughes

Myrtle Ruth Sneed Bell Hughes, 94, passed away on Thursday, September 9, 2021, at her home in Austin, TX.  She was born on July 20, 1927, in Port Lavaca, TX to Ollie Ethel Morris and John Omar Sneed.

A service will be held at Sneed Funeral Chapel at 11 am on Saturday, September 18, 2021, with interment to follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lampasas.  Visitation will be held Friday, September 17, 2021, at Sneed Funeral Chapel from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Ruth grew up in Evant, TX, and attended Evant High School.  After high school, she began working and raising a family.  She worked as a switchboard operator for Southwestern Bell in Lampasas, TX, beginning in 1946.  Ruth married Jefferson Clay Bell (J.C./Jake) on December 12, 1952, in Lampasas, TX and they were happily married for 11 years.  Jake served in WWII in the Army Air Corps as an automotive mechanic. 

After Jake's death in March 1964, Ruth transferred to Austin, TX, and worked in the Central Ticket Investigation Department for Southwestern Bell, which later became AT&T.  She retired on February 12, 1981, after serving for 31 years, 11 months, and fifteen days.  She was very proud of the fact she was not late to work one day in all the years she worked for them.

Ruth married John Hughes on June 3, 1972, in Austin, TX and they were married for 11 years.  John served in the U.S. military and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force.

Ruth was a member of the Daughters of the Nile, D.O.E.S., and the Communication Workers of America.  Ruth survived the Depression and lived well into the computer age.  She loved working in her yard and maintained a number of beautiful flowers over the years.  However, if you asked her, she would tell you that what she loved most was her family.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, nine siblings - four brothers, five sisters; husbands, Jake Bell and John Hughes; son, Clay Lynn Bell, and granddaughter, Lisa Rae Smith.

Survivors include her son Vaughn Smith and wife, Vicki of Dripping Springs, TX; son, Tony Bell, and wife, Brigid of Melbourne, Australia; daughter, Janice Vanzura and husband, Lester of Austin, TX; brother, Carroll Jay Rountree of Bellaire, TX; grandson, Derek Smith of Austin, TX; granddaughter, Reagan Vanzura of Bryan, TX; granddaughter, Blair Vanzura of Chicago, IL and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.

The family would like to thank Texas Home Health and Hospice for their expertise and loving care they provided during Ruth's final days.