Ruby Earl Reaves Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Proverbs 31:10 Ruby's sunrise and sunset: Ruby E. Reaves of the Chickahominy and Pamunkey Indigenous tribes was born on December 13,1923 to the late Ulysses and Bernice Miles in Charles City, VA. She left this mortal realm and entered into a peaceful rest on June 11, 2022 at the age of 98.5 years old, with Tiffany and Nimrod Robbins at her side. Our family is eternally grateful for the love, security and care these grandchildren provided to her these last 4 years, in their home. Ruby's Family Life & Jobs: Ruby grew up in a loving family with a total of twelve siblings (one sibling who died at two months of age before her birth and nine siblings who were older). She was educated in the Disputanta, VA Public School System. She married at the tender age of 16 to Clarence M. Reaves ("Bunky"), age 18, of Hopewell, VA. Four children were birthed from this union, Clarence Jr., Bernice, Brenda and Kimberly (in birth order). They lost their first child, Clarence Jr. at 6 months of age to whooping cough. Because they needed a fresh start after the loss of their baby boy, they decided to move from VA to Chester, PA. Throughout her lifetime, Ruby worked many jobs. She was a waitress, nurses aide, male toupee wigmaker, caregiver & companion, Janitorial/General Contracting business owner and a resident mother at the Salvation Army women's shelter. Ruby becomes a founder of a church: Moving to Chester proved to be a blessing as Ruby found a real relationship with the Lord through the Seventh-day Adventist Church denomination. Witnessing to others about the soon coming of Christ became her passion. Ruby and her sister-in-law, Mary Reaves started conducting worship services in their home which later became known as the Macedonia S.D.A. Church. This was and remains the only S.D.A. church in the city. Through the influence of her walk with God, Ruby brought her husband into the church. She supported her husband in full throttle mode as he pioneered the renovation of an old library, with the help of other church members; transforming it into the first formal building of the Chester Macedonia S.D.A. Church. She made all kinds of pies and took them to John Doggie Restaurant in the heart of Chester to sell in order to raise funds for their newly birthed church. She was infamously known at the church for her Veja-link salad, a vegetarian ham salad that made you always come back for more. You just couldn't get enough! Ruby's church & home ministry: The outreach ministry of Macedonia became the couple's passion in life. Every Saturday (Sabbath) the couple would invite all the church visitors home that needed a place to eat. Ruby always knew how to make “little become much” as she entertained and fed people, often on a moment's notice in their home. Her home was "Grand Central Station" for the numerous relatives and friends that stopped by to visit since they always enjoyed welcoming others to their humble abode. Helping others & setting examples: Ruby loved helping others and made it her life-long work. The couple housed many of their younger siblings that moved from Virginia to Chester, PA to find better jobs. They introduced their siblings to the Lord and many of them joined the church. Throughout the years she held many offices in the church: Sabbath School Superintendent, Sabbath School Teacher, Vacation Bible School Teacher, MV Leader, Church Clerk, Deaconess and Church Treasurer. Over the years, the couple took many elderly church members into their home to care for on a continuous basis. They gave of themselves so much that at one point, both of her two girls had to sleep in the same twin bed in order to accommodate one of the elderly members from the church in the other twin bed. Ruby nursed many people back to good health when their doctors had given up hope for them. She was a surrogate mother for many children whose parents were ill, having the children actually live in her home full-time until their parents recuperated. She was a “hands-on” grandmother, keeping her grandchildren whenever needed and making sure that she taught them about the love of God. She took them to church every chance she got so that they would know about the God she served. Her neighbors took notice and would often comment on how good it made them feel to see this family faithfully leave for church every Saturday without fail. Educating their children & founder of a private school: After putting Bernice through Columbia Union College and Brenda through Pine Forge Academy (both private S.D.A. Christian schools), the couple's dream was to have a private, Christian, elementary school for their baby daughter, Kim, to attend. Their vision was brought to life and Ruby was the backbone supporter of her husband as they became the Founders and General Contractor Business Owners to construct a Consolidated S.D.A. Elementary School in Thornbury, PA. Kim and many more children were the beneficiaries of this school. The love of her life, "Bunky": There was so much love shown between Ruby and Clarence and they remained together for 33.5 years until Clarence passed at age 50 from a massive heart attack while serving as a delegate for his church. Ruby remained unmarried these last 50 years. Although she dated a few men, no one could come close to the love that made her heart skip a beat, like her “Bunky” Clarence. She continued talking about him for the remainder of her life. Their marriage was a bond sealed in heaven and their love was clearly evident to everyone, most importantly to their children. Love starts in the home! Her personal passions: Ruby believed in natural healing remedies, stemming back from her Native American heritage. She helped to heal and ease the pain of many by making her natural remedies, of which her granddaughter Tiffany took notice and has since centered her life work around the same. She loved to cook and her husband was her first cooking instructor as she didn't know how to boil an egg when they first married. Ruby always left an indelible impression upon anyone that met her. She loved to laugh, crack jokes and tell lots of stories of days gone by. The days in her home were filled with sweet gospel music from morning to night, as music made her and everyone that was in her home very happy. She was a home seamstress, sewing many garments for her children. Her sweet smile and genuine, loving concern for others was always shown in her words and deeds. To know her was to love her. The summation of her life: Ruby Reaves was the embodiment of what it means to live a Christian life. She showed us all what it looked like to make Christ the center of this life on earth. Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. Proverbs 31:10 Ruby was that virtuous woman and she left this precious legacy to all of her offspring and family. What will you do with your life? How will your obituary read? Ruby Reaves was granted much favor by God in her 98.5 year life span on this earth. Her genuine love for people and for her God are a remaining testament to that legacy. This is only a comma in her life, just a pause, for she had a living hope of seeing her God face to face, at the sound of the trumpet when the dead in Christ shall rise first. “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. Her life-long desire at the end of this pause is to hear her God say, "Well done thy good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." Matthew 25:21. She leaves to mourn her passing, two daughters, Bernice Jubert of Grand Ledge, MI, and Kimberly Francis of Bear, DE; eight grand-children, Renee Cooper (Larry) of San Antonio, TX, Dr. Simone Jubert Arrington (Charles) of Grand Ledge, MI, Tiffany Robbins (Nimrod) of Chester, PA, Harrison “Lil’ Buddy” “Abdul Khaliq” Sanders Johnson, Jr (Sophia) of Claymont, DE, Danielle Reaves (Rashidah) of Philadelphia, PA, Michael Johnson of Chester, PA, Jhanise Ortiz of Philadelphia, PA and Agustin Ortiz, VI (Jom) of Philadelphia, PA; eighteen greatgrands, three sister-in-loves, many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ulysses & Bernice Miles; husband, Clarence Reaves; son, Clarence Reaves Jr.; daughter, Brenda Reaves; son-in laws, Dr. Andre V. Jubert & Rev. Darrell A. Francis; twelve siblings, Rebecca Rogers (John), Francel Miles (Hazel), Wilmore Miles, Anna Miles Jones (Alexander), Mary Christian (Saunders), Lizzie Cottman, Alice Nelson, Ulysses Miles, Pleasant Miles (Beatrice), Archie Miles, Eddie Miles and Michael Miles Repast will immediately follow the graveside service at the Macedonia SDA church, 1917 W. 6th St, Chester, PA 19013.

Ruby Earl Reaves

December 13, 1923 - June 11, 2022