Ruby Irene Burr Larson made her peaceful final journey to her heavenly home, dying on Nov. 19, 2020 at Bayleigh Chase, Willow Brooke Court (former Marvel Hall) in Easton, MD with her daughter, Caron, by her side and her other daughters present by phone.
Also present were Rev. Marianne Ell, Bayleigh Chase Chaplain, and loving nursing staff who adored Ruby, especially for her playful sweet sense of humor. She was 97 years old.
She was born on the Burr family farm in West Liberty, to Clarence and Irene Burr on Sept. 29, 1923.
Ruby had one older sister, Iona, 3 older brothers, Cleo, Chester and
Harvey and one younger brother, Lon. They all predeceased her.
During the depression, her family grew all the produce and raised all the livestock they needed to provide enough food and necessities for the family. Ruby enjoyed climbing trees, swinging on ropes in the hayloft, visiting her neighbor friend, Mabel Coxon, and getting into mischief with her younger brother, Lon.
She helped with butchering hogs and it was her job to guide the horse when her dad and brothers loaded hay in the hayloft. She learned the skills of growing flourishing vegetable and flower gardens, preparing healthy meals and sewing her own clothes, all skills she passed down to her family.
She attended a one room country schoolhouse. Her dad built a wooden cab to fit over the buggy and Old Nell, the riding horse,took them all to school. Old Nell entertained Ruby’s school mates by poking her head through the open window during the school day.
When there were not enough children to keep the country school open, Ruby transferred to the school in town. She sang in the school chorus and was recognized in her senior year book for having the prettiest hair. After high school, Ruby worked in various settings, including office work, garment seamstress for people with disabilities, retail, restaurant and long distance telephone operator in Iowa City.
Through wartime correspondence she met and married Melvin Larson on the Larson family ranch in Wyoming. They were married for 24 years.
The couple made their home in the Iowa City/West Branch,area where they raised four daughters, Caron West (Jonathan) Easton, MD, Patty Goeders (Dennis) Apple Valley, MN, Jenice Belling(Jim) Salem, SC and Dona James (Dan) Buford, GA.
Ruby had artistic talent and developed her creative skills, which she passed down to her family, in oil, watercolor, charcoal and acrylics,selling many of her works. She also learned to play the piano as a child and enjoyed playing throughout adulthood, even playing in then Christmas program at her nursing home at age 90!
In her later years, she made the decision to move closer to Caron in Easton, MD. Ruby lived happily in the St. Mark’s Village apartments.
She enjoyed watching birds, evidenced by the tattered pages in her “A Golden Guide to Birds”, and caring for her canaries, Dusty and Tweeter. She also enjoyed growing and nurturing a few tomato plants and flowers, until entering long term care with dementia.
Ruby attended Christ Episcopal Church in Easton where she was blessed with her Stephen Minister and friend, Margaret Tappert, who predeceased her.
Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, shopping,
having coffee, making popcorn, cooking and baking. She especially enjoyed sharing her time with all of her grandchildren, playing board and card games, including Carrom, Rummy, Euchre, Scrabble and the piano with them.
Birthdays were always made extra special with her homemade angel food cakes.
Ruby leaves behind 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, with another on the way, one sister-in-law, June Burr (Harvey), and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her gifts of love for her family, and an example of a life well lived, at 84 years old, Ruby wrote a “memory booklet” Christmas gift for her family, complete with photos and drawings of her life, from which many of these memories come.
Her family especially remembers and treasures her many handmade gifts made over the years with a dash of her love.
A celebration of Ruby’s life will be held when family and friends can safely gather in West Liberty, where burial will be in the Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Memorial contributions in her remembrance may be made to the following: Christ Church Easton Stephen Ministry, 111 South Harrison St., Easton, MD 21601 or Bayleigh Chase Resident Association, Colleague Appreciation Fund, C/O Mettah Kollmann, 42 Marion Terrace, Easton, MD 21601 or Talbot Hospice, 586 Cynwood Dr., Easton, MD 21601-3805, talbothospice.org
In lieu of flowers, condolences may be offered on the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, P.A. website. www.fhnfuneralhome.com
