Ruth Dare Tart Staples

Ruth Dare Tart Staples, 86, passed away on November 10, 2025, in Plantation, Florida, leaving behind loved ones and hundreds of hearts she touched through the gift of music. 

Born in Dunn, North Carolina, on July 5th, 1939, Ruth was embraced from childhood by the love of her parents, Hugh Willie and Virginia Tart, her younger sisters Gayle and Anne, and a warm extended family and neighborhood that nurtured her musical spirit. Even as a young girl, music flowed through her – whether she was singing or discovering the piano keys that would become her lifelong companions.

Ruth's passion for music led her to graduate from the prestigious Whitford Piano School in Miami, Florida. A talented pianist, she was content to play but inspired to share the gift of music with others. For most of her adult life, she opened her heart and home to teach piano to children as young as five years old and adults as young as seventy-two. To Ruth, music wasn't merely notes on a page – it was pure happiness. Throughout her teaching career, her students and their parents became cherished friends, bound together by the love and dedication she poured into every lesson. She celebrated their triumphs, encouraged them through challenges, and showed them that there is no better companion than music with which to move through life.

Ruth shared 45 wonderful years of marriage with Bob Staples and was the devoted mother of Derrick Johnson and Cherie Staples. She adored her three granddaughters: Erika Lynn, Victoria Anne, and Tiffany Johnson. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Bob, her son Derrick, her parents Hugh Willie and Virginia, and her sister Anne Tart. She is survived by her sister Gayle Tart Davis (and brother-in-law Richard Davis), her nephews Evan and Stuart Davis, her daughter-in-law Veronica Lewis, and her aforementioned granddaughters. 

Though Ruth's earthly song has ended, the music she nurtured in so many continues to play on – in every practice, every recital, and every moment of joy her students find at the piano. Her legacy lives in the countless lives she enriched, the friendships she fostered, and the wonderful gift of music she so generously shared.

Visitation will be held at T.M. Ralph Funeral Home, 7001 NW 4th Street, Plantation, Florida 33317, on Sunday, November 23, 2025, from 1-4 PM, with a memorial service following at 4:00 PM. We will celebrate Ruth’s legacy as a loving mother, grandmother, sister, teacher, neighbor, and friend.