Ruby Angus Smith, 84, passed away on Friday, September 7th, 2012.
Ruby Jean Angus was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma on April 23, 1928. She was the second daughter of Lee Calvin Angus and Eva Huston Angus. When Ruby was five in 1933, she lost her father. After his passing, Ruby and her mother went to live in San Bernardino, California for a time where Ruby was loved and cared for by her maternal grandparents, Frank and Abigail Huston. Ruby and her mother returned to live in Ponca City, Oklahoma where her mother opened and operated a Beauty Parlor. Ruby was active in the Baptist Church and graduated from Ponca City High school in 1946. Ruby attended Oklahoma A&M University (now Oklahoma State University) from 1946 to 1950, graduating with a degree in journalism.
In the summer of 1948 between her sophomore and junior college years, she worked as a waitress at the Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly where she met the love of her life, a Georgia Baptist, William Smith Jr. "Bill" Smith was about to start his second year of medical school in the fall of 1948. Ruby taught school in Fairfax, Oklahoma during the 1950/1951 school year. After Bill graduated from medical school in 1951, he and Ruby were married in Ponca City, Oklahoma on July 21, 1951. While Bill did his internship in Memphis, Tennessee, Ruby again taught school during the 1951/1952 school year. Ruby and Bill then moved to Corryton, Tennessee where Bill worked with a General Practitioner.
The young couple moved again to Bainbridge, Georgia, where Bill served in the U.S. Air Force. They then moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where Bill did his Orthopeadic Residency. While they were living in Oklahoma City, their son Lee Angus Smith, was born in 1956. Two years later, a daughter, Ann Elizabeth Smith was born in 1958. The young family then moved to Tallahassee, Florida where Bill started an Othopeadic Medical Practice in August 1959, which continued until January 1988. During this time, Ruby reared her children in a loving Christian home. Also during this time she was active in the Medical Auxiliary and enjoyed working in many ministries at the First Baptist Church in Tallahassee. She worked with college students and internationals, and taught sixth grade Training Union and fourth and fifth grade Sunday School. She also sang in the Adult Choir and worked on the church Pulpit Committee. While teaching Sunday School, her students always enjoyed visiting her home at Christmas for a very special "after caroling" Christmas party. Upon Bill's retirement, she enjoyed traveling with him on many camping trips and on "locum tenens" medical assignments. Family was very important to Ruby, so she always made sure her children and grandchildren spent time in her home for special dinners during holiday times.
Ruby was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and will be greatly missed by her husband of 61 years Bill, her son Lee A. Smith, her daughter and son-in-law Ann and David Burgess, and her two grandchildren, Taylor Alan Burgess and Sarah Elizabeth Burgess.
Ruby was preceded in death by her parents and by her sister, Betty Lou Angus.
The Smith family would like to express gratitude to a special devoted employee and friend Williementer Hunter who has worked with them for 50 years. The family would also like to express gratitude to Ruby's wonderful and loving caregivers, doctors, nurses, and therapists during her final months: LaTasha Brown, Jennifer Carpenter, Kim Gibbs, Shameka Green, Everett Harris, Dion Hudson, Dr. Hank Hutchinson, Amra Kuc, Dr. Jean Murphy, Debbie Norman, Mary Pennington, Ann Marie Regis, Dale Robinson, Dr. Robert Rowland, Melissa Roy, Josh Shankles, and Yolanda Simmons.
Ruby's family will receive friends at Culley's MeadowWood Riggins Road Chapel (1737 Riggins Road) between 6:30 and 8:30 P.M. on Friday, September 14th. A Memorial Service for Ruby will be held at First Baptist Church (108 West College Avenue) on Sunday, September 16th at 3:00 P.M. Persons wishing to extend sympathy and celebrate Ruby's life online may do so at
Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home in Tallahassee, Florida.
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