Ruby Gillis White

Ruby Gillis White was born on the 7th of December 1925 in Petronelia, Texas, to James and Willie Mae Vaughn Gillis. Ruby was one of ten children. Her twin sister, Ruth Brown, was her closest friend as long as she lived. She also had four brothers and four other sisters. Ruby married her high school sweetheart, Deryl White on the 22nd of December 1948. She and Deryl had two children, a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Reeder, and a son, Michael Lee White of Austin, Texas. Ruby was a life-long member of the United Methodist Church where she taught children in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. She was a great proponent of the Women’s Society of Christian Service and served at various times as an officer in the organization. Her proudest moment was when she was elected as the first president of the United Methodist Women of the Highland Lakes United Methodist Church. She was a charter member at Highland Lakes and was instrumental in organizing the church’s women’s group. Ruby was preceded in death by her husband, Deryl, her daughter, Elizabeth Ann, her father and mother and other family members, including Norman Gillis, Bobbie Malone, John S. Gillis, Mildred Miller, Bill Gillis, Becky Arnold, Mailon A. Gillis, Dorothy Gillis Lindsay, and her beloved twin sister, Ruth Brown. She is survived by her son, Michael, and his wife Nancy, and her grandchildren, Ann Ewen Atkinson and her husband Robert, James Ewen and his wife Sarah, Josh Reeder, Will Frank and his wife Brittany, and Matt Frank. She is also survived by her great grandchildren, Michael Roberts, Anna Atkinson, and Ashley Ewen, and a large number of nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 23rd of October 2010, in the Colonial Chapel of Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas. In lieu of flowers and customary remembrances, the family requests memorials be made the New Life for Haiti, either online at www.NewLifeForHaiti.org/Ruby.html or by mail at P. O. Box 33, Plainfield, Illinois 60644 or to Austin Habitat for Humanity, either online at www.austinhabitat.org or by mail at 310 Comal Street, Ste. 100, Austin, Texas 78702. Condolences may be left at www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com .