Ruby Coetha Yoakum

Ruby Coetha Yoakum, (Mother Yoakum) was born Jaly 2, l92l to the late Noah and Ephamie Yoakum and Granddaughter of the late Arthur Yoakum, a Choctaw Indian to which Yoakum Street in Houston, Texas is reportedly named and to whom she first learned her way around the piano. Mother Yoakum lived in Houston all of her 93 plus years. She afiended Blackshear Elementary and graduated from Jack Yates High School, where she was a member of the Marching Drill Team. ln 1935 she married Raymond Sams (Deceased) and to their union was born Patsy J. Sams-Mackey. ln 1945 she married Donald Mclntyre (Deceased) and to their union was born Donna M. Mclntyre. At the age of 29 Mother Yoakum received Christ in her life at the Church of the Living God and was baptized in Jesus Name. Having a desire to greater serve Christ she was led to joip the growing Emmanuel Apostolic Church, now Greater Emmanuel Family Worship Center under the fadership of the late Elder W. E. Gibson in 1965. She was a woman of God, a willing worker. She waf the first Musician at Emmanuel, starting the first Choir. She served four years as Vice President of Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (P.A.W.). She served in Mission and played for the Mission Choir. She had a hunger for bringing Souls to Christ, as a Licensed Evangelist she would minister in Churches, and Nursing Homes, all across Texas. She began a prayer band that went from home to home that lasted for some twenty years. She didn't stop there, even in the midst of health challengeq she mastered the art of three-way calling creating a nation-wide telephone prayer ministry that began daily at 4:00 A.M. and did not end untilshe called and prayed with everyone on the list. Mother Yoakum had a passion for helping and serving people. ln her formative years while preparing to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) she worked for the Carl Barnes Funeral Home serving the community with Pre-Need Funerals. Upon achieving her goal of becoming an LVN she spent many years working at Herman Hospital as a LVN, before the joining the Visiting Nurses Association where she retired after many years of service. Mother Yoakum embraced many people while serving as a LVN, using her personal home for God's glory to out-of-state-patients and many others at their point of need. Mother Yoakum is preceded in death by her parents Noah and Ephamie Yoakum; Husbands, Raymond Sams and Donald Mclntyre; Daughter, Patsy J. Sams-Mackey; Great Grandsons, Jermar Eddins, Jr., and Tyler James Penwright. Mother Yoakum leaves to cherish and continue her legacy: A devoted daughter, Donna Mclntyre,; Six loving grandchildren, Starr Boyd (Ted), Prudence Butler-Williams (Bryan), Ray Mackey, (Tanya), Quillie Penwright (Maryanne), Noah Penwright (Linda), and Tameka Board; (seventeen) lovable great grandchildren; (Nine) precious 2nd Great Grandchildren; (Two) Adopted Daughters, Bessie Spencer and Norma Hayes; (Two) Adopted Sons, Mark Hausey and Ernest Samuel and a host of other family and friends.