Ruby Gregory's Obituary
Ruby Leona Gregory, daughter of Joseph Jefferson and Saphronia Ann Gregory Sledge, was born February 13, 1898, in Bluford, Illinois. She departed this life Sunday, June 3, 2007, in the Neighborhood Senior Residential Home, near Lebanon, Missouri, at the age of one hundred nine years, three months, and twenty days, making her the oldest citizen in Laclede County and the State of Missouri. On February 18, 1916, she was united in marriage to Oscar A. Gregory, and to this union one daughter and two sons were born. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Oscar, in 1962; and her nine brothers and sisters. Ruby is survived by a daughter, Irene Paxson, of St. Joseph, Michigan; two sons, Gene Gregory, and his wife, Maxine, of Lebanon, Missouri, and Oscar Gregory, and his wife, Marge, of Cottonwood, Arizona; eight grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; a number of nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends. She was born the sixth of ten children into the Sledge family and was raised on the family farm, near Mount Vernon, Illinois. After she and Oscar were married, they first made their home in Illinois, where Oscar farmed and taught school. In 1921, the family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where Oscar worked for the United States Postal Service for thirty-one years. In addition to being a devoted homemaker to her husband and family, Ruby also worked as a salesperson on the fifth floor of the Famous Barr Department Store for several years. During World War II, all three of the Gregory children served in the military, Irene in the W.A.C.’s, Gene in the Army, and Oscar in the Navy. Soon after they retired, Ruby and Oscar moved to a trailer park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Ruby continued to make her home there for awhile after Oscar’s passing, and then lived in a little cottage in Lebanon for nine months out of the year, and in Florida the other three months. When her health began to fail, she made her home in the Neighborhood Senior Residential Home, near Lebanon, where she had several dear friends. Ruby was raised in a Baptist church in Illinois and was a member of the Third Baptist Church in St. Louis, where she played the organ and the piano, and sang in the choir. Since moving to Lebanon, she had attended the First Baptist Church. She loved to travel and through the years had visited all the major cities in the United States, and been to two World’s Fairs. She was an excellent seamstress and made most of her own clothes, and many quilts. She also enjoyed playing cards, and gardening, and was an excellent cook, with pies being her specialty. She continued to drive a car until she was ninety-six years old, and had a spotless record with her insurance company throughout the years. Her family was very important to her and she especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. Ruby was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and aunt, and was a caring neighbor and friend. Throughout her wonderfully long life she witnessed many changes to the world around her, and also created many delightful memories for her family and friends which they will cherish for the rest of their lives. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 5, 2007, in the Hughey Funeral Home, Mount Vernon Illinois. Burial will be in the Bethel Memorial Cemetery, Mount Vernon, Illinois. Visitation will be held Tuesday evening, June 5, 2007, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. in the Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Lebanon. Services are under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Lebanon, Missouri.
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