Ruthie Welch Chote

Services for Ruthie Chote, 81, of Grand Saline, are scheduled for 2 p.m., Thursday, October 15, 2026, at Bartley Funeral Home, with Sis. Delana Wheeler, and David Hill officiating.

Ruthie Lane Chote, née Madden, formerly Lambert and Welch, was a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother whose strength and memory will live on in the hearts of her family. 

Ruthie was born on December 28, 1944, in Orange, Texas, to Emmett Foster Madden and Martha Inez Attkisson Madden. She grew up in Haughton, Louisiana, and spent many years in Lufkin and Kilgore, Texas, before making her home in Grand Saline, Texas. Throughout her working years, Ruthie held jobs in factories and at the Grand Saline Library. She was a member of Nazarene Chapel Church in Grand Saline.

Ruthie found joy in the simple beauty of everyday life. When she was able, she loved working in her yard and tending her garden. In more recent years, one of her favorite pastimes was sitting in her rocking chair on the porch, watching the beautiful hummingbirds she faithfully fed each day. Those peaceful moments reflected her appreciation for nature and the comfort of home.

Ruthie will be remembered as a strong-willed woman with a determined spirit. Her family will carry with them the memories of her presence, her strength, and the many years they shared.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Emmett and Inez Madden; her siblings, Gloria Minatrea, Dale Madden, Wilda Koonce, Wanda Sparks, Wayne Madden, and Johnny Madden; her husbands, Joe Lambert, Walter Jr. Welch, and Luther Chote; her companion, Jerry Lambert; her son, Emmett “Buddy” Lambert; her granddaughter, Rusti Foster; and her great-grandchildren, Kelsi Redd and Weston Redd.

Ruthie is survived by her daughters, Ouida Jones; Deidre Smith; Judy Carnes and Partner Gerald, Joy Flanary and David Hill; and Rhonda Becerra and husband, Martin. She also leaves behind her grandchildren, Dennis Jones, Jacklyn Jacobs, Justin Lambert, Ashley Koonce, Shirley Thompson, Joseph Redd, Jacob Redd, Daniel Redd, Russell Belcher, Nancee’ Caldwell Briscoe, Shelby Montgomery, Zvi Becerra, and Harlie Fletcher, along with numerous great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers are Jacob Redd, Zvi Becerra, Russell Belcher, Martin Becerra, Chris Caldwell, and David Dinkins.

The family will receive friends 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at the funeral home. 

As her family remembers Ruthie, the sight of a hummingbird or the gentle rocking of a porch chair will serve as a tender reminder of the moments she cherished. Her memory will remain woven into the lives of the generations she leaves behind.