Submitted by: Linda Cheeks Pittano
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Kentucky GenWeb projectNELSON, RUBY P. Ruby was born in New Castle, IN on August 10, 1919. Ruby was the ninth of ten children and grew up in Olive Hill, KY. Ruby experienced some serious illnesses as a child. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, in Ridgefield, WA, on January 25, 2007. In July 1939, as a young woman, she married Lester M. Nelson in Deer Lodge, MT. Ruby and Lester lived in Butte, MT and had two wonderful boys, Gary and Chuck. In 1943 the family moved to St. Johns Wood in Portland, OR. Later that year the family crossed the bridge and moved to Vancouver, WA. Now settled in Vancouver, Ruby concentrated on taking care of her family and raising Cocker Spaniel puppies. She cried when she had to dock the tails of her puppies. Ruby enjoyed having many people over for dinner and family parties. In 1955, 12 years after Chuck's birth, Ruby's son, Don, was born. He was quite a surprise! In Nov. 1957 Ruby moved to her last home in Minnehaha. Ruby loved being a grandma. Her first grandchild, Tammy, was born to son, Chuck, in 1966. In the years that followed came other grandchildren. Ben, Meredith and Valerie were born to son, Gary, and his wife, Becky. In 1987, son Don and his wife, Lynn, welcomed David into the family. Ruby had two great-grandchildren and two more are on the way! Ruby's friends were treated like family. Many hours were spent at the kitchen table playing Skip Bo and cards. In her final years, Shirley Hatcher became a great and dear friend. Ruby had a way of making friendships that would last a lifetime. We are all honored to have known and loved her. Ruby was a long-time Clark County resident and a founding member of Northside Baptist Church. Ruby is survived by three sons and their wives: Gary (Rebecca) Nelson, Chuck Nelson, and Donald (Lynn) Nelson; sister, Dorothy White, of New Castle, IN; grandchildren, Tammy Fleming, Benjamin Nelson, Meredith Hamm, Valerie Gaskill and David Nelson; great-grandchildren, Olivia Fleming and Zachariah Hamm, plus two great-grandchildren on the way. A memorial service celebrating Ruby's life will be held on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2007, 12:30pm, at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, 1101 NE 112th Ave, Vancouver, WA. Published in the Columbian on 01/27/2007
Submitted by: Linda Cheeks Pittano
Send questions and comments to John GraceKentucky GenWeb project