Mrs. Ruth Ellen Howell Billings, age 77 of Elkin, formerly of West Jefferson died Friday afternoon, October 9, 2015 at Forest Ridge Assisted Living. Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 8:00pm at Boone Family Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplin Dave Adams, Rev. Doug Halsey and Rev. Sonny Thomas officiating. A private burial will be held. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00pm on Monday, October 12, 2015; two hours prior to the funeral service. Mrs. Billing was born in Ashe County on May 13, 1938 to the late Edna Hopkins Wilcox. Ruth has a beautiful smile that will be missed by all who knew her. Before her illness she had a servants heart and loved being with her family and friends. She was also preceded in death by her step father, Emit Wilcox; her first husband, Joe Howell; an infant son, J.R. Howell; a daughter, Shelia H. Shepherd; a brother, Raymond Hopkins; a step son, Jamie Billings. Mrs. Billings is survived by: her husband, Claude Billings; a daughter, Evelyn Arnold and husband, Phil, of Piney Creek; a step daughter, Claudia Byrd and husband, Darrell, of Elkin; two grandsons, Jason Arnold, of Piney Creek and Justin Arnold and wife, Joanna, of Sugar Grove; three step-grandsons, Darrell Byrd, Jr and fiancé, Heather, Danny Byrd and fiancé, Zoee and David Byrd, all of Elkin; two great grandsons, Micah and Ellis Arnold, of Sugar Grove; and a step great granddaughter, Gabriella Byrd; four nieces and several cousins also survive. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Gideon's International, PO Box 1014, Jefferson, NC 28640. A special thank you to all who contributed to her care during her illness: Forest Ridge Assisted Living, Medi-Home Hospice and her sisters-in-law that cared so much for her.