Mrs. Ruth Gardner Camblos

Ruth Gardner Hensley Camblos, 88, died peacefully the afternoon of Thursday, December 31, 2009, at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community. Rudy was born in Augusta, Ga. and raised in Asheville; she was the daughter of the late Dr and Mrs Charles A. Hensley. She graduated from St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines in Asheville and Sweet Briar College in Virginia, where she was crowned May Queen her senior year. Many people described Rudy as one of the most beautiful people they ever knew. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Dr. Joshua Fry Bullitt Camblos. After his medical training was complete, Rudy and Josh returned to Asheville in 1950 to begin his surgical practice. It was then that Rudy began a long career of civic involvement in the town that she so loved. After several years with the Junior League of Asheville, she was elected president 1959-1961. She was a Board Member of Asheville Community Concerts, The Children's Welfare League, St. Genevieve's, the Western North Carolina Historical Society and the French Broad River Garden Club, where she served as president 1990-92. Rudy loved these mountains, she loved history and she loved to write. In 1972, along with her close friend, Virginia Winger, she wrote and published Shopping Round the Mountains, a guidebook to Western North Carolina. The Asheville Mall was new at that time and the book was the only available guidebook in town-it sold out quickly! Rudy and Virginia went on to publish three more editions which were titled Round the Mountains and focused primarily on the history and tourism in the region. Some years later, she was asked to write a history of St. Genevieve's which she did with Olivia Woodin, another close friend. The book, St. Genevieve's Remembered, has been reprinted and serves as the only concise history of that remarkable and much loved school. Her interest in historic preservation led to her involvement in the local effort to make the Smith-McDowell House, which was scheduled for demolition, into a regional museum. The scope of Rudy's work in the restoration and preservation of the house and gardens was so monumental that many people began calling it Rudy's House. In 1982 the French Broad River Garden Club awarded her The Garden Club of America's Annual Founder's Club Award for Historic Preservation. Rudy was preceded in death by her sister, Stuart Hensley Woodward, who died on Dec. 29, 2009, and three children, Joshua Fry Bullitt Camblos, Charles Christian Camblos, and Margaret Bullitt Camblos. She is survived by her daughter, Helen Stuart Camblos; three granddaughters, Jennifer Stuart Royall, Margaret Bullitt Royall Reed, and Caroline Bryan Royall; a niece, Delves Woodward Fee; and a nephew, Charles Hensley Woodward. Her happy, loving and kind spirit will be missed by a host of family and friends. A service to celebrate Rudy's life will take place at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 5, at Trinity Episcopal Church. Memorials may be made to Trinity Church or the Smith-McDowell House.

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Mrs. Ruth Gardner Camblos

July 8, 1921 - December 31, 2009