Mrs. Ruby J. Grant

Ruby was born in Brunswick, in the parish of St. Ann, Jamaica, to parents David and Irene Guest (nee Tucker). She was also loving sister to her older brother, Carol Lewis, who preceded her in death. As a child, Ruby was a bright student who excelled in language and literary arts and who loved to sing.

As a young woman, Ruby met Robert James Grant who was working in the bauxite industry at Reynold’s Jamaica Mines in St. Ann. Robert left Jamaica to pursue opportunities in England as young men were needed from the colonies at that time due to the war. He wrote regularly to Ruby who was working as a civil servant for the Trelawny Parish Council. Ruby subsequently flew to England and furthered her post-secondary studies at the Northwestern Polytechnic in London. She and Robert were married on July 7, 1956 in South London. Together they had three daughters -- Caroline, Bridget, and Alexandra (Sandra).

Ruby touched many lives with her loving, kind, and generous personality. She raised her children in a God-centered home and greatly enjoyed church events, hosting tea parties, and gardening – her brilliant, colorful flower beds were a year-round source of joy! Some of her most memorable qualities and traits were her Christian faith, steadfast belief in prayer, love for traditional hymns and the Psalms, along with her colorful sense of humor and gift for storytelling and hospitality. She had genuine concern for the safety and welfare of her family, relatives, friends, neighbors, and loved ones. These traits, along with her natural gift as an encourager, influenced many of her decisions and relationships.

Ruby will be remembered as a strong advocate for education, literacy, charitable giving, and public service. As a young woman, before moving to England, she had worked as a primary school teacher for the Jamaica Ministry of Education. Later, upon the family’s return to Jamaica in the early 1970s, Ruby worked in public service from 1973 to 1987 as an executive administrator for the National Water Commission. She later earned a master’s degree in English from the University of the West Indies, where she was also as English instructor. Ruby nurtured her creative writing talent in mid-life and her original works were published in an anthology of poems and in newspapers. In 1989 Ruby proudly accepted the position of Executive Director of the Jamaica Save the Children Organization in Kingston, Jamaica, where she worked for 13 years. Ruby was also a dedicated member of the Church of the Transfiguration in Havendale, for many years.

Following her relocation to Florida after Robert’s passing in 2001, Ruby joined the St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church in Plantation, FL, which she attended faithfully for many years. She also returned to teaching and was hired as an English Instructor for the Florida Language Center in Fort Lauderdale, and at Broward Community College in Davie. Additionally, she worked for the Broward County Human Services, Child Care Licensing Division for several years until her retirement in 2012.

Ruby was a proud mother to her three surviving daughters, and believed strongly in the importance of family unity as she consistently reached out to family members and loved ones scattered across Jamaica, the United States, England, and Canada, in her efforts to keep family connections strong. She remembered to faithfully call for birthdays and celebrations and regarded childhood friends of her daughters as her extended “children”. She is also survived by beloved relatives and extended family including: Venese Kington, Reita Reid, Carmen Hewitt, Jean Lemon, and Barry Coke, along with many more extended family members, cherished friends, and loved ones.

Ruby will be remembered as a God-fearing Christian, loving daughter, wife, and mother who leaves a legacy that will continue to inspire and guide those she left behind. Her memory, stories, and teachings will live on, reminding us to love and give generously and nurture relationships with God and family.

A memorial service for Ruby will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 12:15 pm at St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church, 7801 NW 5th Street, Plantation, Florida, 33324 immediately followed by a Celebration of Life gathering at 1:00 pm. Family, friends, and loved ones whose lives Ruby touched are invited to attend, commemorate, and celebrate her life.