RUBY MARIE (STACY) KELLER

SEPTEMBER 3, 1921 – MARCH 24, 2007

Sister, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and Friend  --  so many roles to fill for just one person in a lifetime, but her heart and soul was dedicated fully to each.

As a wife, she was fully dedicated to her husband, Raymond “Buzz” Lewis Keller, and the career he had chosen for them on the farm.  She knew little about the farm, the hard work, the long hours, and the light pay but became very familiar with it quickly.  She always told the story about her mother questioning her judgment about living on the farm and the lifestyle that it would bring.  Ruby’s response was “I want to be wherever Buzz is and that will make me happy.”  That response might have been simple in words, but she spoke it with lots of love and commitment throughout their nearly 66 years of marriage spent on the farm.  There is a saying that behind every great man there is a great woman.  That is truly the case here.  Their marriage was based on a true love and it is a model for people to follow.

As a sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she set a good example for all.  She was always so loving and committed to each role.  One thing she will always be remembered by is her home cooked meals!  Every family member spent time with her just talking about the happenings in their lives while seeking guidance and advice.  She was the best listener.  A person could talk to her for hours and she would look so lovingly at that person as to say thank you for being part of my life and thank you for letting me be a part of yours.  We all relied on her in many different ways – it could have been as simple as smelling something in the refrigerator and letting us know whether or not it was still good or it could have been so complicated as a life changing event but we all valued her wisdom so much.

Everyone loved being around Ruby because she was always so happy and was never one to complain even when she had a good right to do so.  She loved to dance and sing which brought out her fun loving spirit that we will never forget.  You always knew that if you were having a bad day, she was the one that would perk you up.  Her words of encouragement will always ring in our ears – keep going, don’t give up, everything will be just fine.  She believed in all of us.

Lastly, Ruby’s character was saintly.  God blessed her with a strong will and determination and a special kind of love that she was able to share with each and every one of us.  We will always remember her smile when she greeted us, her laughter when we told stories and that everlasting sparkle in her eye that she carried with her until the end.  These few words share only a glimpse of how she has impacted all of our lives.  Her love she shared with each one of us will always be with us and will be passed down to future generations.  Ruby Marie (Stacy) Keller – we will love you always!

Ruby M. Keller

VINCENT — Ruby M. Keller, 85, of State Route 676, Vincent, died at 4 a.m. Saturday (March 24, 2007) at her home.

She was born Sept. 3, 1921, in Williamson, W.Va., a daughter of Emory F. and Cora E. Stallard Stacy. She was a homemaker and helped her husband on the farm for many years. She graduated from Belpre High School in 1938. She was a member of the Watertown United Methodist Church, the Watertown Grange, and the Washington County Farm Bureau.

On Oct. 21, 1941, she married Raymond L. Keller, who survives. In addition to her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Linda Warren and husband, Ron, of Pinch, W.Va., and Joyce Schwendeman and husband, Larry, of Vincent; five grandchildren, Susan Jones and husband, Bill, Brenda Jones and husband, Greg, Jeff Warren, Bradley Schwendeman and wife, Michelle, and Kenley Schwendeman and wife, Tricia; six great-grandchildren, Greg, Kevin, and Kyria Jones, Christian and Brenner Schwendeman, and Averi Schwendeman; two sisters, Florence Wyatt of North Canton, and Lenore Lowe of Little Hocking; and one brother, Lonnie Stacy of Waterford.

She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers; and three sisters.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. today at McCurdy Funeral Home, Beverly, with Father David Huffman officiating. Burial will be in Watertown Cemetery.

I remember a time about 5 years ago when Grandma was first having some serious health problems and I was worried about her. I was sitting next to her and saying "they can do something about that these days. They have a procedure..." She shook her head "no." She wasn't going through any procedures! She was 80 years old and that wasn't necessary. When she saw my dismay she reassured me it was all right. It was a moment I'll never forget because in a few words she managed to convey a wealth of information that is forever comforting. What she was saying to me was "if I survive this--even with a fight-- it'll be all right. And if I don't survive this...it'll be all right." She was ready either way. It was the kind of reassurance that can only come with one who has settled that issue with our Heavenly Father above and if she was ready, that's good enough for me. I can rest assured she's "home" now.

One of my favorite poems is written by Linda Ellis called "The Dash." It tells of how we tend to mark a person's life by a birth date and death date but that the real measure of a person rests on the dash in between. Let me tell you something of the dash in Ruby's life.

She spent that time living life to the fullest. Her spirit was so big it would fill a room and greet you at the door even on those days she was physically unable to make that move across the room herself. And she loved people. As a matter of fact, she was the essence of love. She knew how to make every person in her life feel special. She didn't even have to say it. She just loved and you couldn't help but feel it.

Her other remarkable trait was joy. She was filled with joy as far back as I can remember. To see her pictures and know her family, it must surely have been born into her personality...this love of life and joy in living every moment. She knew how to sympathize with you and share your pain and disappointments but you could hardly be down for long when you were in her presence. What a gift she had.

I feared losing her presence here would cause the gift to go with her. But, of course, to keep her here as her aging body deteriorated would only be selfish on my part. I've looked in the mirror and wondered if "it" was in me. I was disappointed when I thought I didn't measure up. Then I realized what her gift truly was. It was "being Ruby" the best she could be. It was taking what she had to give and living it and giving it to the fullest. I'm not "Ruby" but I can learn to live "Susan" as best I can and live and give my gifts to the fullest degree. And, when that larger than life spirit comes out, I know how I learned to reach for it. It was by way of Grandma.

Maybe you've heard the old poem that goes, "...I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day. I'd rather one would walk with me than simply point the way." I thank God she walked with me. She was a sermon to the nth degree with many important lessons of life to share. I pray I learned them well.

I have the most incredible family surrounding me. Generations now in both directions. And I'm always in awe of something special that someone doing. I've decided it was because she touched us all. We all have our own gifts to bring and we have it within us to take them to the highest because we had Ruby in our lives as the example. And she will forever be "making over" anything we manage to accomplish... because that was just how she was. That's Ruby doing what she does best.

--Susan Jones
Ruby Marie's granddaughter