Ruth Osborne Read

Ruth Osborne Read died on Friday, June 10, 2022, surrounded by family at her home in Atlanta. She was 91.

Ruth was born April 18, 1931, to Henry Pitchford Osborne and Ruth Glazner Osborne. She grew up in Atlanta, New Orleans, and North Georgia, enjoying summers at the Dillard House and with cousins in Canon, at her Bowers family homestead. She graduated from Christ the King High School in Atlanta and studied journalism and art at the University of Georgia, where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

In 1951, Ruth married her high school sweetheart, Lt. Henry Richardson Read, who was stationed in Japan shortly after their wedding. Ruth and Henry spent the first two years of their marriage living in Tokyo, where they had the opportunity to be immersed in a new culture and make life-long friends.

When they returned to Atlanta, Ruth and Henry built a house in the Pine Hills neighborhood and a house on Lake Rabun. Both homes have been welcome gathering places for three generations of family and friends from around the world.

Ruth and Henry built a successful food brokerage business while their children were young. Ruth was also passionately involved in community and civic life, co-leading a vibrant, inclusive Girl Scout Troop with her dear friend, BJ Smith, and helped introduce the Junior Great Books Program of Shared Inquiry in Atlanta schools.

Ruth was a lifelong member of the Birdhaven Garden Club and participated in an adult Great Books group for more than 60 years. In the 1970’s, Ruth helped found Election Coalition, a group of city-wide advocates who worked together for good government. Ruth and Henry helped found and build the Roxboro Valley Pool and were active in the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association for more than 50 years.

Ruth is survived by four children: Lee Read Pilgrim, Henry Richardson Read Jr., Charles Wickliffe Read, and Molly Read Woo; five grandchildren and their spouses: Aidan Read Pilgrim and Ryland Cook, Vanna Clare Pilgrim, Glenna Read-Bullock and Ben Bullock, Jessie and Catie Read, and Max Henry Woo; two great-grandchildren: Pilgrim Cook and Henry “Hank” Bullock; her sister, Gincy Osborne Carosi, and her brother, Lee Osborne. Her brother Henry Pitchford Osborne preceded her in death.

Service arrangements to be announced later.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to the Great Books Foundation (greatbooks.org) “In memory of Ruth O. Read,” or a charity of your choice.