Ruby Josephine Gerling

Ruby was born May 23, 1942 in Dallas, TX to Emil and Anna (Slovak) Valigura. She was the youngest of seven sisters. She was very proud of her Czech heritage.

After graduating Our Lady of Good Counsel (Catholic all-girls school), she enlisted in the Air Force to be a nurse. There, she met and married Gerald, the love of her life of fifty-two years. Within a year, she got pregnant with her first child and was honorably discharged per Air Force regulation at the time. She loved every minute of being a mother and enjoyed raising her three children. She taught them how to be respectful, ethical, honest and compassionate. She also loved being a military wife for twenty-five years because it created a close-knit sense of family and lasting friendships and the opportunity to see the world. They were first stationed in Fort Worth, Alaska and Mississippi. The real travel began in 1977 when they were stationed in England and traveled on vacations to Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. (Twice. Her favorite!)

They moved back to the United States to San Antonio for a couple of years until her husband’s retirement from the Air Force. Their civilian life began in Fort Worth, TX where they originally met. Ruby decided to take some college classes when her daughters started college and received an associate’s degree and worked in the college bookstore. Shortly after, she accepted a job as mail carrier with the United States Postal Service and loved the crazy fun mornings with her coworkers. And luckily Ruby liked to travel and see new places, because a new opportunity moved them to California. She stayed with the post office there and back again to San Antonio where she eventually retired.

Ruby had many hobbies over the years. She played on a women’s golf league. She loved any kind of crafting, macrame, knitting, crocheting, embroidering and sewing. Her love of plants and flowers created the most beautiful gardens in her homes. She also enjoyed reading, crosswords and word games. And really, any other game that brought friends and family together. Her love of dancing with friends and family brought her so much joy, pleasure and happiness.

More than anything, Ruby enjoyed being with family. She relished holidays and visiting with her sisters. They were a crazy, wild and fun group of Czech girls that loved to reminisce in the stories of their lives. Ruby, especially, loved being with her grandkids. Being a Gigi was one of the most fulfilling moments of her life. She loved them profusely and wholeheartedly.

Ruby may have been tiny, but lived her life in a grand way. Even when Alzheimer’s was progressing, she would still laugh, smile, kiss, sing and dance. She will always be remembered.

Ruby is survived by her daughters, Johna Nunn and husband David, Christine Cottrell and husband John; son, Adam Gerling; grandchildren, Ashley Cottrell, Matthew Cottrell, Emily Nunn, Rachel Cottrell, Jackson Gerling and Oliver Gerling; sister, Virginia Muehlstein. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Gerling; sisters, Anna Mae Zaidle, Janie Burgess, Gloria Batte, Mary King, Eugenia Valigura, Pauline Vrana and her parents.

There will be small memorial service for immediate family members only. Ruby will be laid to rest with her husband at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.moorebowenroad.com for the Gerling family.