BAST, Ruby Pearl (Estes), age 100 of Longwood, Florida, slipped peacefully into the arms of Jesus on October 5, 2014, surrounded by family. Ruby was born in Pekin, Illinois on June 18, 1914. She was the daughter of the late Mary (Layton) and Wesley Estes. Ruby was one of 6 children who predeceased her; Orville, Hurley, Edward and Loy Estes; and Jewel Klahr. As a child, Ruby grew up in Yellville, Arkansas, where she attended school with her siblings in a one room school house. Later the family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she met William Bast, her one true love. Ruby and Bill built a home in Glenview, IL, a suburb of Chicago. They were blessed with 4 daughters; Shirley Hollenbaugh (Ron) of Longwood, FL; Carol Southwick of Forth Worth, TX, Karen Gehl of Lake Mary, FL and Sharon (Doug) Peck of Longwood, FL. As a homemaker, Ruby would spend countless hours planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables from her garden for canning and baking pies and bread. As the children grew, she returned to work as a Hostess in the restaurant in Marshall Fields, Skokie, IL. When Bill retired in 1969, they sold their home in Glenview, IL and moved to Hollywood, FL. Ruby continued to work as a Hostess for the Diplomat Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. In 1976 Shirley’s husband was offered an opportunity to move the family to the Orlando area. They settled in Longwood, FL. It wasn’t a hard decision for Ruby and Bill to relocate to Longwood where they would once again be close to family. Over the years, the other daughters would follow. In addition to her daughters and son-in-laws, Ruby leaves behind the following grandchildren: Sheryl Unrath (Gary), Jeff Endrulat (Beth), Lin Wilhelm, Rick Southwick (Mary), Scott Southwick, Traci Gehl, Sheri Carmine (Brad), Stephen Sarmento (Kimberly) and Dan Sarmento. She also leaves behind a large extended family of grandchildren and great grandchildren. A celebration of Ruby’s life will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 2:30 at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 2140 West State Road 434, Longwood, Florida 32779. Ruby will be laid to rest next to Bill at Highland Gardens Cemetery in Apopka. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall at St. Stephen. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Vitas Hospice
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18