Ruth Sherrill Childers James was born on October 17, 1929, in Alexander County and passed away on October 25, 2025, at Elizabeth House in Flat Rock, N.C.

She was the daughter of Ernest Escar and Lela Grant Sherrill. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Daniel Mack Chiders; a son, Daniel Jr.; her granddaughter, Monica Leigh Sharpe; her second husband, Louis James; brothers, John, Grant, Lindsey, and Troy Sherrill; and sisters, Lois Madison and Arnette Benfield.

Left to cherish her memory are daughters, Gail (Robert) Moore of Mills River, N.C., and Crystal (Blaine) Thomas of Spring Lake, N.C.; grandsons, Chris (Misty) Sharpe of Fletcher, N.C., and Scott (Barclay) Sharpe of Mills River; and great-granddaughter, Morgan Sharpe of Fletcher, and great-great-granddaughter, Amila. Also surviving are step-grandchildren, Angela (Al) Lytton and son Worth of N. Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Brandon (Jessica) Moore and children, Chloe, Sydney, and Caelan of Asheville, and her surviving sibling, Larry (Tot) Sherrill of Statesville, along with multiple nieces and nephews and a special niece that visited her weekly, Sandy Madison of Mills River, and two sisters-in-law, Nancy Sherrill of Hiddenite, N.C., and Hilda Sherrill of Statesville.

She was a member of South River Baptist Church before moving to Mills River to reside with her daughter and son-in-law. She was also a previous member of Cochran Street Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir, served as a Sunday School teacher, and church clerk. Ruth’s friends and family will forever remember her by her loving wisdom, her quick wit, her fierce passion for UNC Basketball and the Atlanta Braves, and her intense unconditional love for her grandsons!

A celebration of life service will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 1, 2025, in the chapel of Nicholson Funeral Home with Rev. Dr. Alton Cook officiating. The visitation will be held one hour prior, beginning at 1 p.m. Burial will immediately follow the service at Iredell Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her memory to Four Seasons Hospice, 571 S. Allen Road, Flat Rock, NC 28731 or online by clicking here, or to The Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601, or online by clicking here.

Nicholson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.