Ruby J. Smith

Celebration of Life services for Ruby J. Creel Smith, 88, will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, November 30, 2018 in the chapel of Pine Crest Funeral Home, 1939 Dauphin Island Parkway, Mobile, Alabama, 36605. Pastor L.D. Henderson will be officiating services for Mrs. Ruby Jean.

Interment will immediately follow on the grounds of Pine Crest Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama.

The family will be receiving guests for visitation Friday, November 30, 2018 from 10:00 AM until time of service at 11:00 AM.

Ruby was born June 14, 1930 to the late J.C. and Viola Pitts Creel in Laurel, Mississippi and was called to her Heavenly home on November 27, 2018 surrounded by family in Fair Hope, Alabama.

There are really not adequate enough words to describe my granny. She was born on June 14, 1930 in Mississippi to a young unwed mother, and then raised by her grandparents. From the beginning, her strength & tenacity were evident because she was only 3lbs when she was born and it was rare for a baby so small to survive at that time, but she did! By 6 years old, she was picking cotton every day. She was very poor and lived in little shacks with no running water or electricity most of her childhood. It was a hard life.

In her later teen years, she married my Paw Paw and took on the mother role for all his many brothers & sisters after my great grandmother died. She went on to raise her 4 children and was a mother to all their neighborhood friends. She then raised my 3 cousins while taking care of my grandfather (who was chronically sick and in & out of the hospital) and working all night at a residential home for the disabled and as a cook at KinderCare. She took in my uncle Mikey and my cousin Michael when my uncle became sick and needed a liver transplant too.

She was a mother to all and loved like no one else I’ve ever known. When I think of her, I think of someone with a true servant’s heart. She always thought of everyone else before herself. She was such a giver and hard worker.

I could talk about so many more things like how she was the best cook (gumbo, dressing, dumplings and rice and tomato gravy were among our family’s favorites) or how she was such a talented seamstress and she used to make herself, her kids and all the grandkids clothes (all the girl cousins grew up getting matching dresses that granny made for us- all sewn with love). But what I really want to say about my granny is that she has left such a rich legacy of faith. She loved Jesus and lived like it. I can’t imagine what our lives would have been like had she not taken her children to church every Sunday and demonstrated to them what it means to love & live like Jesus or what it would have been like had she not been a praying mom & grandmother. She has prayed many many many prayers for her family. Her biggest desire and prayer was to see every single one of her children and grandchild serving Jesus. I am so grateful for such a rich heritage!

My granny will be missed tremendously. Her absence will leave a huge hole in our hearts and lives. As we were all gathered around her yesterday and we began to sing old hymns and songs of praise as a family, a deep peace filled the room and our hearts knowing that she is finally home and she can rest in the arms of Jesus. I know she heard the words we all long to hear -“Well done my good and faithful servant.” She finished her race well...

Ruby was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved husband; Louis Samuel Smith, a son; James Michael Smith and a granddaughter; Naomi.

Left with cherished memories will be her sons: Hiram Smith, Ferron Smith and wife Brenda, daughter; Debbie Smith Topolnicki and husband Adam, daughters: Nora Foster, Nina Burns, son; Nicky Smith, ten grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, one sister; Virginia Sanders and one brother; James Pitts, along with many extended family members and a host of wonderful friends.

Memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to New Life Assembly of God building fund, 10424 Old Hwy 31, Spanish Fort, Alabama, 36527, 251-656-3536 in honor of our precious Ruby J. Creel Smith.