Ruth Etheredge Bergkamp Covington
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RUTH ETHEREDGE BERGKAMP COVINGTON BELOVED WIFE OF COLONEL BENJAMIN COVINGTON JOINED THE ANGELS AT 1115 FRIDAY THE FIFTH OF FEBRUARY 2021, AT HOME IN VALLE CRUCIS, NORTH CAROLINA. THE DAUGHTER OF JEANNIE HAMMOND FARLEY AND HARRY OTERSEN BERGKAMP OF SALUDA SOUTH CAROLINA AND MYRTLE BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA. SHE LIKED AND CARED FOR EVERYONE SHE EVER MET AND THEY ALL LOVED HER. AS AN ARMY WIFE SHE TRAVELED THE WORLD LIVING IN GERMANY, THAILAND, VIETNAM, HUNGARY, AND ALBANIA WHILE VISITING 37 OTHER COUNTRIES. AS SHE MOVED WITH HER FAMILY, SHE SET UP HOME IN 18 LOCATIONS WHILE BRINGING UP TWO BOYS BORN AT WEST POINT, NY AND HEIDELBERG, GERMANY. SHE WAS THE DE-FACTO FIRST LADY OF HER HUSBAND'S FOUR COMMANDS WHERE SHE OVER SAW THE WELL BEING OF THE FAMILIES OF THOUSNDS OF SOLDIERS. SHE WORKED IN LADIES' RETAIL SALES AS SALES AGENT AND MANAGER IN VIRGINIA, TEXAS AND NORTH CAROLINA. A TRAINED BALLERINA, SHE ATTENDED STEPHENS COLLEGE, MISSOURI AND STUDIED AT SEVERAL OTHER COLLEGES. ALWAYS ACTIVE, SHE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THIRTEEN AWARDS AND CITATIONS FROM THE ARMY AND THE NATIONAL RED CROSS INCLUDING THE COMMANDERS AWARD FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, THE CITATION OF APPRECIATION FOR PATRIOTIC CIVILIAN SERVICE, THE AMERICAN RED CROSS AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL VOLUNTEEER SERVICE AND THE ORDER OF SAINT JOAN D'ARC.
SHE IS SURVIVED BY HER HUSBAND OF FIFTY NINE YEARS, HER SON'S, DOCTOR (MD) BENJAMIN W. COVINGTON IV AND HIS WIFE LORI, FARLEY SAXON COVINGTON, A SENIOR WARRANT OFFICER IN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AND HIS WIFE LISA, HER IDENTICAL TWIN SISTER, PATRICIA DAVIS, TWO NIECES, FIVE NEPHEWS,SIX GRANDCHILDREN AND ONE GREAT GRAND CHILD.
INTERNMENT WILL BE AT WEST POINT NY AT A TIME TO BE DETERMINED AND A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD AT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS IN VALLE CRUCIS, NC WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. WELL DONE RUTH. REST IN PEACE.
MEMORIALS MAY BE MADE TO THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS, BOX 645, VALLE CRUCIS NC, 28691.
Online condolences may be sent to the Covington family at www.hamptonfuneralnc.com
Hampton Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of the arrangements.