Richard Sidney Ruby

Richard Sidney Ruby, a retired Raleigh jeweler,businessman and a past president of Beth Meyer Synagogue, died January 21 at his home in Raleigh, the city where he had lived for more than 65 years. He was 94.

Born in Detroit, Michigan on September 24, 1922, he, his brother, Sam, and their father would later own and run a small chain of jewelry stores in North Carolina cities, first in Greensboro and later extending from Charlotte to Kinston, including Land’s, on Raleigh’s Fayetteville Street, and Raleigh Jewelry Company, on Capital Boulevard.

Richard was raised in Greensboro and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before moving to New York to pursue a career in music. A student of Hymie Shertzer, lead alto saxophonist for the Benny Goodman Orchestra, he played alto saxophone, clarinet, and flute professionally as a member of dance bands recorded by the RCA and Capitol labels. After being drafted into the army during World War II, he became a member of the 62nd Army Band.

While on a brief furlough in New York, he met in his future wife, Sylvia Greenberg, with whom he had corresponded for months as a pen pal, introduced through mutual friends. They married in 1947, moving to Durham and later, in 1950, to Raleigh. Sylvia became president of the League of Voters, a member of the Wake County School Board, and Vice President of the United Way of Wake County, before her death in 2007.

Richard served two terms as president of Beth Meyer Synagogue and for more than a decade was head of the Raleigh Hebrew Cemetery.

He is survived by a daughter, Barbara Ruby, of Greensboro; a son, Robert Ruby, of Baltimore, MD; daughter-in-law, Holly Selby; and a grand-daughter, Kiera Ruby, both of Baltimore.

The family would like to thank the care givers from Home Instead Senior Care for their caring support and assistance to Richard, as well as friends and neighbors who showed their care and concern.

A graveside service will be held at Raleigh Hebrew Cemetery, 450 N. State Street, at 11:00 am on Tuesday, January 24, 2017.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Richard S. and Sylvia G. Ruby Fund at the Triangle Community Foundation, PO Box 12729, Durham, NC 27709, or to the charity of your choice.

Arrangements by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, St. Mary’s Street, Raleigh, NC, (919) 828-4311.