Ruth Moore Cobb's Obituary
RUTH MARIE MOORE COBB, 87, passed away November 29, 2013.Ruth Marie Moore was born in Memphis, TN on May 24, 1926 to Ruth Brown Moore and Dr. Thomas D. Moore.She was predeceased in 2010 by her husband, Charles P. Cobb, of Memphis, to whom she was married for 62 years.She was also predeceased by a son, Thomas O. Cobb and a granddaughter, Kathryn Streeter (Katy) Cobb.She is survived by her children, Elizabeth C. Houston (Horace), Oliver P. Cobb III (Lu Lee) and Charles P. (Chuck) Cobb, Jr. (Scottie), all of Memphis. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Ruth (Ruthie) C. Loveless (Edward), of Little Rock, AR, Frances G. Cobb, of Cincinnati, OH; Laura H. Ferry (Hugh), of Toronto, Canada, Ruth Marie Houston of Memphis, Horace K. (Chip) Houston III of Memphis, and Oliver P. Cobb IV, of Memphis. She is also survived by two great-grandchildren. She is survived by her brother, Thomas D. Moore, Jr. (Jan) of Dallas, TX.Ruth graduated from The Hutchison School in 1943 and very shortly thereafter went to New York City to study harp and music with Carlos Salzedo, a world renowned harpist and teacher. A gifted musician since childhood, she attended the Dalcroze School in New York and then the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She studied with Salzedo for years and toured extensively with the Salzedo Ensemble.She was a founding member of the Memphis Symphonietta, which became the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. She was Principal Harpist with the Memphis Symphony for many years. She held the position of Harp Chair for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. She was a member of the Symphony League, the Renaissance Music Circle, the Beethoven Club, and Local 71 of the American Federation of Musicians. She founded the Memphis Chapter of the American Harp Society and served on its national board. For many years she taught harp privately and also at the University of Memphis and Rhodes College.She was a lifelong member of Lindenwood Christian Church, where she was a Deaconess and member of the Christian Women’s Fellowship. She frequently played the harp during worship services. She was an inspiration to her family and friends in her deep faith. She was a member of the Junior League, Memphis Woman’s Club, and Memphis Book Club.Ruth enjoyed traveling with her husband and her family and was an avid fisherman. Once Ruth caught a prize bass while out in a boat in a snowstorm and she had that bass mounted on her wall. She brought joy to those around her with a great sense of humor and endless supply of funny stories from her interesting life.Visitation will begin at 12:00 p.m. followed by funeral services at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 7 at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery.The Family requests that memorials be sent to the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, The Ruth Moore Cobb Award in Instrumental Music at Rhodes College, or Lindenwood Christian Church.Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, (901)767-8930, “Behind the Stone Wall”.
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