Ruby Janetta Sumrall Purcel 1924-2009

Ruby Janetta Sumrall Purcell, age 85 years, 2 months and 5 days, daughter of Martin Luther and Angie Janetta (Pate) Sumrall was born April 5, 1924 in Corsicana, Texas. She died June 10, 2009 in the Houston House, Houston, MO.

Ruby married John William Downey and they had one son, Billy. She later married Lester Elvin Purcell (Whitey). To this union one son Danny was born and one daughter Linda.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Whitey on May 5, 1988, 5 brothers, one half-sister, and one grandchild.

She is survived by Billy Vern Downey and wife Shirley of St. Clair, MO, Linda Buchholz and husband James of Raymondville, MO and Danny Elvin Purcell and wife Rhonda of Raymondville, MO; 9 grandchildren: Kerri Cummins, Brian Downey, Narah Venable, Janda Jenkins, Traci Goetz, Justin Buchholz, Shalena Purcell, Jarid Purcell and Josh Purcell; 11 great-grandchildren: Gabriel Cummins, Kara Cummins, Blaine Downey, Bryce Downey, Cole Venable, Haley Venable, Austin Goetz, Keaton Goetz, Sarah Purcell, Peyton Purcell and Shane Purcell; one great great-grandchild, Gage Cummins, and numerous other relatives and friends.

Ruby had many interests. She enjoyed crocheting, playing Bingo, and a good hand of Rummy. Ruby lived most of her life in Raymondville, MO, where along with her own children; she opened her home and babysat for most families in the area. After she was unable to live on her own she moved to Catawissa, MO to live with her son Danny Purcell and wife Rhonda for nearly four years.

Ruby was a member of the First Baptist Church in Raymondville, MO Ruby believed in the Lord and had accepted him as her Savior.

She was also a member of the Vollmar’s Woman’s Club and a member of the American Legion.

Ruby had a fun sense of humor. She was witty and enjoyed a good joke. She was not one to express her feelings and tell you how she always felt, but you always knew that her door was open and she would do what she could for you.

She found great comfort and pride in her children and grandchildren. She would talk about their visits to her home for weeks. She always had a story to tell about the Downey kids accomplishments, the Buchholz’s children’s studies or the Purcell kids’ broken limbs, and ornery ways.

Ruby looked forward to the holidays, baking pies, and candies and watching her grandchildren attempt to put up the little old antique silver tree. She enjoyed fixing Sunday morning breakfast for the kids, where they knew the biscuits would always be burnt. She never missed a chance to pick blackberries or pit cherries, or to hunt lost grandchildren in the back 20 acres, or to French braid hair upon request. Her life revolved around her family.

If she looked out at her family and friends today and saw sadness, she would simply say, “crying isn’t going to get you anything more than a snotty nose, so dry it up.” She would tell us that she had a good life and would not apologize or need an apology that was not her style. She would hope that her children and grandchildren receive from their own families the same amount of love, respect, and compassion that has been shown to her from her own family.

Ruby would say, I’m where I should be now, and I will see you all here in heaven real soon. That she and Grandpa are cruising around the streets of heaven on that old Honda three-wheeler and they’ll be waiting for us at the gates of heaven. And she would say to take our time, there’s no rush to get here. Then she would lean over and whisper in Shalena’s ear “Don’t you be late”.

She was a good mother and wonderful grandma and will be missed by those that truly knew her.

Allen Cemetery