Chelsea Leigh Rugh

September 2, 1982 - January 19, 2020

Chelsea Leigh Rugh, 37, of Spartanburg, SC, passed away with the comfort of her parents by her side on January 19, 2020, as Heaven received an angel. Her Memorial Service will be conducted Saturday at 2 o’clock in the Benchmark Cowpens, Cowpens, SC. Chelsea had made the Greenville-Spartanburg area her home. Her sister, Cameron, has remembered her as follows: “For most of you that don’t know, Chelsea suffered from a rare disorder called Chromosome Ring 18. She outlived the expected survival rate for her chromosome abnormality. She never lived a normal life, she lived a hard life needing constant care and attention, in and out of the hospital. She was the biggest fighter I’ve ever met. She loved Barney (yes Barney), McDonald’s (even tho she didn’t get to eat it often) and turning the TV to static channels (back in the day) and turning the volume up as loud as it would go (drove us crazy). Me and my brothers always knew we could make her laugh by pretending to fall down or trip each other up-anything to keep her entertained and smiling. In my heart I know she was greeted at the gates of heaven, healed from all her disabilities, pain and suffering”. Survivors include her parents, Tom and Kay Rugh, Murrell’s Inlet, SC; two brothers, Aaron (Jyoti) Rugh, Boston, MA and Nathaniel Rugh, Spain; a sister, Cameron Rugh, Smyrna, GA; grandmother, Irene Miller, Murrell’s Inlet, SC; two aunts, Misty Castle, Houston, TX, Pam Castle, Winchester, TN and Janine (Rick) Metcalf, Murrell’s Inlet, SC; an uncle, Jim (Angie) Rugh, Chesapeake, VA. The family has requested no flowers. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Charles Lea Center at charleslea.org Posey Funeral Directors of North Augusta in charge of arrangements (803-278-1181). Visit the registry at www.PoseyCares.com