Highway to be dedicated in honor of Earl Ruth | Politics

SALISBURY - A section of US Highway 601 in Rowan County will be named the Congressman Earl Ruth Highway, in honor of the late lawmaker.

This is Ruth's bio from Wikipedia:  Born in Spencer, North Carolina, Ruth graduated from Central High School, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1934. A.B., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1938. M.A., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1942. Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1955. He was a teacher and coach at Chapel Hill High School, 1938-40. Chapel Hill, North Carolina In 1933 Ruth was the NC High School tennis champion (singles.) While at UNC, Chapel Hill Ruth was a basketball standout, serving as captain of the Tar Heel team both his Jr. and Sr. years.(1936–37 and 1937–38) He was in the United States Navy. Ruth was head basketball coach and director of athletics at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC from 1946 to 1960. From 1960 to 1968 he served at Dean of Students there. He served as member of Salisbury, North Carolina, city council from 1963 to 1968. He served as mayor pro tempore of Salisbury, North Carolina from 1967 to 1968.

Ruth was elected as a Republican to the Ninety-first and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1969-January 3, 1975). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Ninety-fourth Congress in 1974. Governor of American Samoa from 1975 to 1976. He died on August 15, 1989, in Salisbury, North Carolina. He was interred in National Cemetery, Salisbury, North Carolina.

The naming ceremony for the highway takes place on Thursday, April 26 at 11 am at the Robertson College Community Center on the campus of Catawba College in the Peeler Crystal Lounge.