Ruby Geneva Miller

Ruby Geneva Miller passed peacefully from this life to new life in heaven on November 16, 2011 in Oroville, California. She was born November 25, 1924 in Marshall County, Alabama to William Porter and Elizabeth May Gilley. She would have been 87 on her birthday, a special day also shared with her great-nephew. She was the last of 8 siblings, preceded in death by 2 sisters and 5 brothers. She was also preceded in death by her spouse of nearly 61 years, Percy L. Miller, in May 2009. The Miller’s resided in Redding, CA for 30 years following his retirement from Moss Lumber Company in Burnt Ranch, CA. In their final years, they resided in Butte County under the care of their niece and husband, Evelyn and Randy Jones.

Growing up on a farm and in a large family, Ruby had a strong work ethic and learned to be quite industrious from an early age. She learned to sew making doll clothes and eventually started sewing clothing for herself. She had fond memories of attending the Union Grove Baptist Church in Alabama where her mother played the organ. She enjoyed music very much and especially loved the heritage of southern gospel music which she listened to up until the day of her passing. Ruby enjoyed working outdoors during her retirement years. She and her husband, Percy, were avid gardeners who spent many hours tending their garden and fruit trees and then she would can, freeze and dehydrate fruits and vegetables, as well as share with family, friends, and neighbors. She had been a 4-H Leader, belonged to a garden club, a quilting group, the Cornerstone Community Church, and was active for a time in the local senior center. Other hobbies included crocheting, knitting, toll-painting, ceramics, embroidering, and sewing. It seemed there was no craft or hobby she had not tried. Together with her husband she also enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping.

Correspondence was highly regarded by Ruby. She wrote letters and sent Christmas cards faithfully to multiple friends and family until she was no longer able in her final years. The family regrets we were not able to keep up personally on her correspondence but please know how special each one of you was to her.

Though Ruby had no biological children, she and Percy raised a foster daughter, Phyllis Williams, who resides in Arkansas with her husband Robert, along with their three children (Phaedra, Jeb and Travis) and families. Ruby was also a step-mother to Percy’s son, Leamon Miller of Utah, and daughter Barbara Ross, of Sacramento, and grandmother to their children. She was a beloved aunt to numerous nieces and nephews and will be dearly missed by all until we meet up again one day.