Ruby Shirley Doucette

Ruby Shirley Doucette, 93, passed away July 14, 2025, in Riverside, California. She was born in Pontypridd, South Wales, to Richard and Maud (Parsons) Adams on May 30, 1932. Richard was a baker originally from Somerset, England, and had served in WWI. Ruby was the youngest of 10 children and became an auntie when she was only 3 months old!

The Adams family moved to Slough, west of London, before WWII, but Ruby was sent to the safer countryside of Somerset for the war years, returning to finish her education in Slough. She got a job at the Mars candy factory and loved to go out with her sisters in the evening to a local dance hall. There, at age 18, she met and fell in love with a handsome American Air Force sergeant named Edwin Antoine Doucette. They married the next year, in 1952, and shortly thereafter sailed to Massachusetts, where Edwin grew up – making Ruby the first in her family to come to America.

Transferring from one Air Force base to another in Massachusetts, Texas, England, Nebraska and finally California, they had six children over the next 15 years. Ruby, who became an American citizen in 1965, enjoyed raising her growing family, participating in British Wives Club activities, reading bestsellers, and helping with the kids’ schoolwork and projects.

Following Ed’s retirement, the couple, now settled in Riverside, enjoyed spending time with their grandchildren, volunteering with Meals on Wheels, going on almost annual international cruises, hosting and visiting relatives, and playing nearly nightly games of competitive Scrabble. In addition, Ruby loved going to the movies (“The Shining” was, surprisingly, one of her favorites), attending church every Sunday and religiously watching “Jeopardy!”

A sweet, petite woman, Ruby, who never completely lost her British accent, was universally adored by all who met her.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her nine older siblings, Ena, Billy, Ivor, Rita, Phyllis, Ernie, Trevor, Molly and Clifford; her husband of 66 years; and two of their children, Stephen and Jeffrey.

Ruby is survived by her two sons, Andrew (Kymberly) and Robert Doucette; her two daughters, Elaine (Jim) Adams and Carol Hilbig; six grandchildren, Jeffrey, Julia, David, Olivia, Grace and Garrett; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, in both England and America, ranging in age from 1 month to 92 years old.

A service will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17, at Faith Lutheran Church, 4785 Jackson St., in Riverside, followed by a reception and celebration of Ruby's life at the family home, 3606 Mariella St.