Rutha Mae Dickerson (Mudda) born July 24, 1945 in Olar, South Carolina to the late Mr. and Mrs. Dave and Odesser Dickerson. She entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at Lexington Medical Center in West Columbia, South Carolina.

Rutha received her early education in the public schools of Bamberg County, South Carolina. In 1963, she graduated from Voorhees High School, Denmark, South Carolina. Shortly after graduating high school, she moved to New York and worked in healthcare services.
She was united in holy matrimony to the late Charles Kearse. Rutha was preceded in death by her brother, Henry Dickerson; sister, Gloria D. Heyward and nephew, Lance Alden Brewer.

Rutha is survived by four sisters, Mary Brewer of Olar, South Carolina, Grace Smith-Orr (Leroy) of Savannah, Georgia, "affectionally known as her kids" Kathy M. Hudson (John) of Olar, South Carolina and Jacquelyn Ideozu (Clement) of North Charleston, South Carolina; one brother, Dave Dickerson Jr. (Laurette) of Inman, South Carolina; brother- in- law, Daniel Heyward of Varnville, South Carolina; nieces, LaTonya Thomas (John) of Garden City, Georgia, Heather Brewer of Atlanta, Georgia; nephews, Xavier of Savannah, Georgia, Maurice Heyward of Columbia, South Carolina, Odessa Hudson of Conway, South Carolina, Dave Dickerson III of Inman, South Carolina and Kari Ideozu of North Charleston, South Carolina and a host of cousins and friends.