Ruby E. Spain

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)

Ruby E. Norton Spain, 88 years young, peacefully went to be with the Lord in the early morning hours of June 24, 2022, in Belton, Mo. The daughter of Edward P. and Doris G. (Bielman) Norton, Ruby Elizabeth was born in Bazaar, Kansas on February 22, 1934.

She attended elementary school at the Bazaar Schoolhouse from which she told stories and had as many wonderful memories growing up in the small community. She then attended high school in Cottonwood Falls and graduated from Chase County Community High School in 1952. After graduating from beauty college in Salina, she opened Ruby’s Beauty Shop in Cottonwood Falls. In 1956 she married Charles R. “Bob” Spain and to that union had three daughters:  Christy, Charlene, and Charlotte. They divorced. She married Ronald N. McCallum in 1972. They later divorced.

In 1969 she went to work at Dolly Madison in Emporia and was a loyal and dedicated employee until her retirement in 1996. Throughout her 27 years she received repeated safety awards and was proud of her accomplishments and dedication to her work. It might have been just manual labor for some, but she took her work seriously.

Ruby loved animals from an early age and always had a pet. She loved to tell stories of her childhood and especially about her beloved Shetland pony, Meddler, and dog Nancy Sue. Over the years she would adopt many more pets and leaves behind the most special of all, a shih tzu/poodle mix rescue dog named Molly, who came to live with her in 2017.

Ruby loved country music and a host of performers like Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, and Blake Shelton just to name a few. Yet even if you did not know her well, you knew how much she loved Elvis and would not hesitate to tell you she was his biggest fan! She collected a great deal of memorabilia of the King and cherished the memories of touring Graceland! In addition to her Elvis collection, she also acquired a sizeable doll collection which she always referred to as Charlotte’s, but we all knew whose it really was. Finally, after having more dolls than could be displayed she hired Dennis Maddox to build her (or rather, Charlotte) four large cases to display them in. They were always a conversation piece that she never tired of telling the stories from where each one had come from. She was also an avid collector of shot glasses from all over the world that she and others acquired for her in their travels. We always thought it an interesting hobby since not one drop of anything even so much as water touched the 100’s she displayed.

Ruby was outspoken and hard-working and could work circles around younger people. Over the years she might work a 10+ hour day and follow up by coming home and mowing the yard just in time to get to bed by dark and up in 4-5 hours.

In addition to being a devoted mother to her daughter Charlotte she fell in love again when her grandchildren came along. Kylee and Hunter were the center of her universe and she loved nothing more than spending time with and spoiling them. When given the opportunity she would proudly tell others about them followed up with a string of pictures and according to Charlotte they could get away with anything!

Retirement did not slow her down as she kept her yard manicured and immaculate even while she attended every event that Kylee and Hunter would participate in. She frequently ate lunch at school with them and loved their friends as her own grandkids.

She canned the best beets, made the best potato salad, deviled eggs, and baked beans and all were requested again by those who tried them. Along with sweets and Red Lobster, she loved the colors pink/rose to the point of redecorating her master bath in those colors.

She loved working in her yard, growing her garden and planting flowers and continued to do so well into her 70’s. She was so proud the year she received Lawn of the Season from the Rainbow Garden Club. Ruby was never one to forget special occasions and you could count on receiving a card for everything from birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays to get well and of course sympathy and words of encouragement. In between yard work and grandkids, she found time to take others to doctor appointments and grocery shopping and even continued to cut hair.

Ruby loved her family fiercely and undoubtedly the most precious gift she gave was sharing her love for God. Like her mother, she shared about her faith on a more intimate level, yet she knew how important it was to spread the good news of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Ruby is survived by daughter, Charlotte Cole (John Miller); granddaughter, Kylee (Craig) Woods; nephews, Ronald (Lisa) Armagost and Greg (Gayla) Armagost & family; nieces, Lynne (Steve) Ligon & family and Lisa (Mark) Miller & family; step-grandsons, Brandon Cole, Devin Cole & family, Tagert (Janet) Cole & family, Ethan Cole, and Jesse (Alleda) Cole & family.

Now at peace, Ruby is reunited with her parents; sister, Dorothy Norton Armagost; daughters, Christy and Charlene; grandson, Hunter Scott; son-in-law, Cliff Cole; and brother-in-law, Charles Armagost; in addition to more family and friends gone ahead of her.  

Cremation has taken place.

A Celebration of life service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, July 23, 2022, at the Cottonwood Falls United Methodist Church with Pastor Tim Woods. Inurnment will follow in Bazaar Cemetery. Family will greet friends following the service. Memorial donations may be made to the Hunter J. Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Brown-Bennett-Alexander Funeral Home, P.O. Box 220, Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845.

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