Jennifer, Ruth P. 'Nee Riley'

Ruth Pauline Riley-Jennifer passed away on June 11, 2003 due to complications arising from Alzheimer’s disease.Ms. Jennifer was born on June 16, 1922 in Boley, Oklahoma. She moved to Los Angeles as a teen-age girl and graduated from Jordan High School at the age of 16. Upon graduation from high school, Ms. Jennifer attended Xavier University in New Orleans and subsequently transferred to Howard University in Washington D.C. While a student at Howard, she met Harold Jennifer, a Washington native and a student at Springfield College.Because of the war and her impending marriage, Ms. Jennifer left Howard and began a stellar career in federal government. She served as a Management Analyst in the manpower division at Fort Meade from 1950-1963; and she was employed in a similar but more responsible position at the National Security Agency from 1963 to 1972. She retired with honors in 1972. Immediately after retirement, Ms. Jennifer returned to Howard University and completed her work towards a B.S. in Physical Education and M.Ed in Guidance Counseling. She later returned to Los Angeles (from 1975-1990) after a brief stint as a counselor in the Virgin Islands. From 1990-2001 she resided in New Town of Coldspring from 2001 until her time of death. She was a resident of Marriott Brighton Gardens in Columbia.According to her only surviving son Clinton W. Jennifer, “My mother was a person of wit, charm, and exquisite style. She was a loving, kind, and generous individual.”Ms. Jennifer was a member of several social clubs including the National Smart Set, the Girl Friends, the WMN’s, and the American Bridge Association. She was a prolific Bridge player, having amassed a large collection of trophies as a result of winning Bridge tournaments around the country.Other survivors (son Harold died in 1997) are sister Evelyn Cromell of Mariposa, California; grandchildren, Jai Jennifer of Oakland, California, Jacob, Riley, Jasmin, Joy and Ali Jennifer - all of Columbia, Maryland. She also leaves a nephew Robert D. Coleman of Merced, California and a niece Jacqui Coleman of High Point, North Carolina.In lieu of flowers, kindly send donations to the Campaign for Howard at Howard University or the Sonny Jennifer / Iota Phi Theta Endowed Scholarship Fund at Morgan State University.

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Jennifer, Ruth P. 'Nee Riley'

June 16, 1922 - June 11, 2003