On January 26, 2025, Ruby Lee McDaniel Scarborough passed away peacefully in her room at The Groves Nursing Home, with her devoted husband, David, by her side. Ruby had battled several complex health issues for some time, which ultimately left her bedridden and unable to care for herself. Her family takes comfort in knowing that she has now found total healing in her heavenly home.
Records indicate that Ruby was born on April 4, 1936—although her mother always insisted her true birthdate was April 10 of that year. She was the daughter of Issac Enoch McDaniel and Eva Mae Armstrong McDaniel. The family lived near several McDaniel relatives just above the Columbia Country Club in Columbia, Mississippi, in an area affectionately known as "Mac Hill." She had two brothers, an older brother, Enoch, and a younger brother, Donald.
Ruby spent most of her life in Columbia, including all her school years. She graduated from Columbia High School in 1954 and went on to attend Pearl River Junior College, where she studied bookkeeping and office management. Active in campus life, she served as president of the Baptist Student Union and was honored as Miss PRC.
After graduation, she and a few friends moved to New Orleans, where she worked for the Lance Corporation before marrying her first husband and the father of her three children, William Wayne Malley of Bogalusa. The family later returned to Columbia, where Ruby worked for Burdette Insurance before briefly relocating to Baton Rouge, LA, to start a business. While there, Ruby suffered the loss of her father, followed by the passing of her husband the next year. She and her children then returned to Columbia, where she resumed her career, serving as office manager at Polk Construction Company for several years before finishing her professional career at Crain Ford Tractor Company. It was during her time at Crain’s that she began dating David, a widower, and the two eventually married.
A lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Columbia, Ruby was part of a rich heritage of faith that spanned multiple generations of her family, tracing back almost to the church’s beginnings. Her commitment to the church reflected the steadfast devotion of those who came before her, making her the final link in a long family legacy of worship within its walls. She was an active member of Ouida Ferrell's Sunday School class and found joy in both faith and fellowship. Socially, she enjoyed being part of Beta Sigma Phi, where she served as president several times, as well as the Calliopean Club.
Though she battled rheumatoid arthritis for many years, limiting her ability to fully participate in the activities she loved, Ruby was a talented seamstress, a wonderful cook, and an avid gardener. She also loved reading and cherished time spent with family and friends. When her grandchildren visited, there was always an active game of cards, a craft to work on at the table, or a quiet moment curled up in a chair together reading a story or looking through family photos, listening to stories about their family history.
Ruby is survived by her husband of 27 years, David Scarborough; her children, Beverly Malley Simpson (Eric), Robert Malley (Jane), and Karen Malley Banks (Donald); and her beloved little dog, Beaux. She is also survived by her brothers, Enoch and Donald (Carol) McDaniel, along with their children, including three nieces and two nephews.
She was a proud grandmother to four biological grandchildren: Amy Clark (Michael), Tyler Simpson (Madison), Daphne Dale (Joshua), and Addison Frasch, as well as two additional granddaughters, Ashtin Goolsby (Austin) and Sarah Banks. She was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren: William Clark, Tobias Clark, Ezekiel Dale, Ezra Dale, Jameson Simpson, Watson Simpson, Charlotte Simpson, and Sawyer Goolsby.
Through her marriage to David, Ruby also gained a loving extended family, including Keith Scarborough (Deadra), Karen Bennett (Danny), and Kevin Scarborough (Michelle), along with their children and families. She shared a particularly close bond with the Bennett sisters—Kristi, Emily, Danielle, and Beth—who visited her often and included her in many special moments.
Ruby is preceded in death by her parents, Isaac and Eva McDaniel; her first husband, William Wayne Malley; her first child, Eva Marie Malley; and her sister-in-law, Evelyn McDaniel.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at Colonial Funeral Home in Columbia. Funeral services will be conducted on Monday, February 3, 2025 at 10:00 AM in the funeral home chapel. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery.
