Ruth Shockley Embler, age 89, died peacefully at Commonwealth Senior Living at Radford, Virginia on December 10, 2017.

Born February 25, 1928 in Winston-Salem, NC, Ruth was raised in McLean, VA, and was a 1945 graduate of Fairfax High School where she was active in several sports and student organizations. In 1950, Ruth graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. At VPI, Ruth met her future husband, John, a Marine Corps veteran of World War II. They married in Asheville, NC and moved to Maryville, TN, where John earned his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, and began a 30-year career with the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA). They started their family in Maryville, with the birth of their two daughters, and upon transfer to Pittsburgh, PA, had a son. The next transfer with ALCOA led them to Evansville, IN, where they were founding members of Aldersgate United Methodist Church. Ruth served as a Girl Scout Leader and volunteered for many school and church functions. Additionally, she served as a church kindergarten teacher, and wrote kindergarten curriculum for the United Methodist Publishing House. Ruth's thoughts were frequently expressed in poetry, sketches, and the occasional watercolor. She also loved knitting, quilting and other hand crafting, including creating stained glass pieces. After their children had graduated from high school in Evansville, they returned to Pittsburgh. Retirement brought them back to the New River Valley area to be near family. After John's death in 1993, Ruth continued an active life, even learning to pilot an airplane at the age of 67. She was a faithful member of Grove United Methodist Church in Radford, where she was active in the chancel choir, handbell choirs, a knitting circle, and the United Methodist Women. She was also involved with Project Linus, and a supporter of the Women's Resource Center in Radford. She was an avid gardener and shared that passion with her church family by tending the flowerbeds at Grove until she was no longer able.

Preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Nelson Embler; and her parents, Ohlen Conard Shockley and Mattie Virginia Morris Shockley. Survived by her brother, Walter Horace Shockley of Lansing, MI; her children, Barb Graybeal and husband Jerry of Christiansburg, VA; Carol Bridgman and husband Tim of Maryville, TN; and Joe Embler and wife Sheryl of Marina, CA; grandchildren Sarah and Stephen Graybeal; Jaime and Clark Bridgman; and Erin, Elsa and Joey Embler; great-grandchildren Micah and Alana Graybeal; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to the staff at Commonwealth and Medi Home Health & Hospice for their compassionate and loving care.

The family will receive friends at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel in Hillsville, VA; followed by the funeral service at 2:00 p.m.

Officiant: Pastor Mark Kilbourne, Grove United Methodist Church, Radford.

Interment following the service at the Shockley Cemetery on Route 100, Hillsville.

It was Ruth's desire, that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Women's Resource Center in Radford or the Shockley Cemetery Fund.