Ruth Ezelle Pickett Cole, 83, of Jackson, Mississippi, passed away on February 6, 2026. Ruth, the vibrant Christian soul, was born on January 28, 1943, in Jackson to the late George Bailey Pickett and Annie Morriss Ezelle Pickett. Ruth was a lifelong resident of the city she loved, except for one year following her college graduation when she taught elementary school in DeKalb County, Georgia.
Ruth received all of her education in and around the Belhaven neighborhood from Power Elementary, Bailey Junior High, Murrah High School, and finally Millsaps College. She graduated from Millsaps in 1965 where she majored in elementary education, sang in the Millsaps Singers, and was a devoted member of Kappa Delta sorority. Ruth maintained friendships with her Kappa Delta sisters throughout her life.
Ruth was introduced to Samuel Griffin Cole III by her Price cousins when she was a freshman at Millsaps. On July 16, 1966, Ruth and Sam married, and together they built a loving marriage and family that remained the center of her life for nearly sixty years.
Family connections were especially important to Ruth. She had 19 first cousins and continued relationships with all of them throughout her life. She treasured gatherings and traditions, especially her extended Ezelle family’s annual Christmas Eve celebration, a tradition dating back to the 1940’s. Ruth and Sam hosted this beloved event in their home for 24 years, welcoming relatives with hospitality, laughter, and Ruth playing the piano for singing carols.
Ruth was always generous with her time and talents. She spent many years playing the piano weekly in nursing homes where her mother and mother-in-law were residents, offering comfort and joy through music to residents, families, and staff. She also shared gifts of love by baking, sewing, and flower arranging. You knew you were cared for when you received a loaf of banana bread, a pound cake, a chocolate chess pie, Aunt Mitt’s sugar cookies, or yeast rolls made from her mother-in-law’s recipe. Ruth also gave many gifts of her framed handmade needlework to friends and family members, and she loved to share flowers with people, whether those flowers were beautifully arranged bouquets or simply camellias cut from bushes in her front yard.
After staying home with her children during their young years, Ruth dedicated herself to education and public history in her professional life. She worked for many years as a sales representative for World Book Encyclopedia, helping families foster learning at home and assisting students with schoolwork in the years before the internet. She later worked for 22 years as the morning hostess at the Old Capitol Museum, where she served as a gracious and enthusiastic ambassador for Jackson and Mississippi. She welcomed visitors ranging from schoolchildren to foreign dignitaries and took pride in sharing the story of the city and state she loved. Ruth’s knowledge of her beloved community and her gift of networking helped to make visits to Mississippi’s most historic site a truly special and unforgettable experience. Ruth fittingly received the Hometown Hero Award from the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau in 2001.
Ruth was very active in serving her community and her church. She was a lifelong and faithful member of Galloway United Methodist Church. She served the church in many ways over the years including as a preschool Sunday School teacher, a member of the Staff Parish Relations Committee and the Altar Guild. She served as a leader of the Bethany Circle and hosted the group of women in her home monthly for many years. She also volunteered in her community through the Junior League of Jackson and the Jackson Symphony League.
Ruth is survived by her husband, Samuel Griffin Cole III; her children, Beth Cole; Mary Katherine “Kacky” Mangum (Chandler); and Sam W. Cole (Carla); her brother, George B. Pickett, Jr. (Lynne); her grandchildren, Matthew Simpson (Sarah), Tyler Mangum, Rachel Simpson, Mac Cole, and Fin Cole; sister-in-law Emily Cole Harper; cousins, nieces and a nephew. She was deeply proud of her family and delighted in each of them.
Ruth is predeceased by her parents; her beloved grandparents, Miriam Jackson Ezelle, Robert Lenoir Ezelle, Lillian Price Pickett, and Reverend Robert Tilden Pickett; and her grandson Griffin Mangum.
Ruth will be remembered for her gracious spirit, her faithful friendship, her gift for hospitality, and the devotion she showed to her immediate family, her many relatives and friends. Her life was marked by service, tradition, music, and love. Her influence will continue through the many lives she touched.
A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held on Wednesday, February 11, at Galloway United Methodist Church with visitation at 9 a.m. and a memorial service following at 11 a.m.
The family requests memorial contributions be made to Galloway United Methodist Church or Millsaps College.
