Ruby I. LaVette, age 80, of Marion, went to be with the Lord on Sunday evening, April 17, 2011, at the Riverside Methodist Hospital following a brief illness surrounded by her loving family.
On February 17, 1931, Ruby was born in Marion, Ohio, the daughter of the late Leonard Richardson and Mary Elizabeth (Ward) Richardson Crowder.
After being swept off her feet by a young gentleman, Ollis B. LaVette, shortly after he returned from serving in the U.S. Navy, he and Ruby were married on September 8, 1947. Together they lovingly raised three children: Pierre, Michael and Debra; and shared over sixty-three wonderful years of marriage.
For over twenty-one years, Ruby was a dedicated employee of Quaker Oats, from where she retired in 1988.
Having a strong faith in the Lord, Ruby enjoyed being associated with the Quinn Chapel A.M.E., for whom she loved to make meals for any of their occasions.
An excellent cook, Ruby loved to cook something special for any and all occasions. There was never a bad meal served out of her kitchen, and she was famous for her potato salad and desserts. She loved the holidays and any special occasions, because she loved being surrounded by her family and spoiling them with their favorite things to eat. She also would always make meals for her neighbors and friends, whenever they were going through tough times.
With a love for shopping, Ruby and her daughter, Debra, have countless precious memories of their shopping trips together, such as their train trip to Chicago to see what shopping was like there.
For the past five or so years, Ruby became an avid Cleveland Indians fan, cheering them on any chance she could.
The first to lend a helping hand, Ruby “touched a lot of lives” and would help no matter the circumstance. For her help, she never wanted to be thanked or praised as that was not important to her. Her family knew she would even “give her last penny” to someone, if she knew it would help them.
Most important of all to Ruby was her family. She cherished every moment she spent with family, and loved her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with all of her heart and soul.
Ruby will be dearly missed by her beloved husband, Ollis LaVette; three children: Pierre (Carolyn) LaVette, Michael (Barbara) LaVette, and Debra (Louis) Bentley, all of Marion; five grandchildren: Pierre (Natalie) LaVette Jr., Vincent (Carolyn) LaVette, Michael (Amy) LaVette Jr., Michelle (Steve) Johnson, and Danielle Bentley; six great-grandchildren: Tatiana, P.J., Jayla and Jayden, and Andrew Vincent LaVette, and Asia Johnson; three sisters: June (Harry) Todd of Worthington, Mary Catherine (Leo) Johnson of Marion, and Chloe Diane Smith of Oklahoma; and many nieces and nephews.
Including her parents, Ruby was preceded in death by five brothers and one sister: Howard, Paul, Stanley and Leonard Richardson, Tom Crowder, and Ruth Flournoy.
The LaVette family will greet friends from 4 – 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 21, 2011, at the Denzer-Farison-Hottinger & Snyder Funeral Home, 360 E. Center St., Marion. Services honoring her life and celebrating her homecoming to Heaven will also be held there on Friday at 11:00 a.m., with Rev. Franklin O’Bryant officiating. Burial will follow in Marion Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, and they may be sent to the care of the funeral home.
For those wishing to express their private condolences online to Ruby’s family, you may do so by visiting www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
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