Ruth Califf Coyle

Ruth Califf Coyle passed away on August 1, 2022, peacefully and surrounded by her loving caregivers at  
Bishop Gadsden.
She was born October 18, 1925, at the family residence on O’hear Avenue in North Charleston, South 
Carolina, to Pauline Eliza Hunter and William Langdon Califf. Ruth was the second of four daughters.
 She attended North Charleston Elementary School and North Charleston High School (class of 
1942). Ruth attended the University of South Carolina, School of Pharmacy, (class of 1944) and was a 
member of Chi Omega Sorority.
Ruth Tindal Califf married Richard Nelson Coyle, a practicing pharmacist, on October 5, 1944. They
welcomed Richard Nelson Coyle, Jr. in 1951 and William Califf Coyle in 1952. Ruth worked as a 
substitute teacher in North Charleston and taught at First Baptist High School.  Mrs. Coyle was an
esteemed executive assistant for the offices of five Charleston County School Superintendents, where
she retired in 1993.  
An active member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Ruth taught Sunday School, served on
the Vestry, sang in the Choir, was a Lay Reader and Eucharistic Minister.  She was an avid golfer and 
member of Yeaman’s Hall Summer Golf Club and past President of the Arion Society’s Ladies Auxiliary.
Ruth was the duplicate bridge coordinator and later President of the Myers Hall Residents 
Association for Bishop Gadsden. She served her church there by singing in the Chapel 
Choir and was a Lay Reader. She had many dear friends at Bishop Gadsden and will be greatly missed.
Ruth is survived by her sons, Richard (Lee) of St. Augustine, Florida and Bill (Mary Jo) Coyle of Beltsville 
Maryland, her sister, Mary Lena Harper of Mobile, Alabama, her granddaughters, Megan and 
Carolyn Coyle, her great grandchildren, Nora and Miles Clifford, (born August 1, 2022, the same day of 
Ruth’s passing), her nephews, Fred Martschink (Linda), Miles Martschink (Beth), Andrew Harper III 
(Mimi), Ben Harper, Steven Harper (Heather), nieces Virginia (Jann) Owens (Bud), Patricia (Patsy) Van 
Pelt, Pauline (Peg) Hughes (David), and Mary Helen Harper (Willie) and many grand nephews and nieces.
Ruth Coyle is predeceased by her husband, Richard Nelson Coyle, sister, Virginia (Jinnie) Murray, and  
sister, Pauline (Polly) Martschink.
A funeral service celebrating Ruth’s life will be held in the Bishop Gadsden Chapel on Wednesday, 
August 10, 2022, at 11 a.m., with a reception following the service.  The chapel is located on the 
Bishop Gadsden Campus, 1 Bishop Gadsden Way, James Island, SC, 29412. For more information, please 
contact Bishop Gadsden at 843-763-3600. Interment will be at Carolina Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel.
Special thanks to the Bishop Gadsden Caregivers and staff who served Ruth for many years.  Jackie Grampus gave so much to Ruth in her times of need over the past seven years.  
In lieu of flowers, donations in Memory of Ruth C. Coyle can be sent to the Bishop Gadsden Employee 
Appreciation Fund Charitable Giving Office, Charleston, SC 29412 or to her home church , St Thomas 
Episcopal Church  1150 East Montague Avenue , North Charleston ,SC  29405.
A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.