- Date Of Birth: June 5, 1936
- Date Of Death: September 9, 2020
- State: Maryland
Ruby L. Watkins-Williams was born June 5, 1936 to the late Rufus O. Williams and Nettie Huff in Columbia, South Carolina. She accepted Christ at an early and was baptized at New Hope Baptist Church in Columbia, SC. She attended elementary school in Columbia, SC and upon moving to Washington DC, Ruby attended Margaret Washington Vocational School. She later relocated to Maryland and received her high school diploma from Fairmont Height High School on June 13, 1955. After graduating from High School she attended Temple Business School in Washington DC.
Ruby was employed at the Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center in Washington, DC as a Nursing Assistant. She worked in the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) clinic and loved her job. She retired on October 3, 1997 after 32 years of service. She was married briefly to Eugene Watkins then she met and married the love of her life, the late Joseph (Joe) Williams. They were members of “A Way of the Cross Church of Christ” (Washington, DC). Joe was a loving husband that took good care of his wife until he became ill. He preceded her in death on October 18, 2012. Ruby and Joe were frequent travelers and most of their travels were from trips he won from his job. Ruby loved to cruise and sponsored cruise trips, annual trips to the Jazz Festival in Hampton, VA and trips to ski resorts, music concerts in Cherry Hill, NJ, Redskins games and other well-known places. She was an avid Washington Redskins fan (now known as the Washington Football Team). She had season tickets to the games and whenever there was a home game, you would find her at the stadium dressed from head to toe in her Redskins gear.
Traveling was not her only love, Ruby loved to party and was known as the party “Jewel”. Music was a major part of her lifetime (mainly upbeat music); one of her favorite songs was Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up”. She simply enjoyed life, was very lively and took every opportunity to live up to her reputation. She organized her own birthday parties and would change outfits throughout the evening. If you were around Ruby, you knew it was going to be a fun time.
Ruby has now taken her last journey and will be missed. She leaves to cherish her memory, two sisters; Earline (Willie) Gadson, Upper Marlboro, MD, Maureen Williams, Philadelphia PA, three brothers; Rufus (Kathleen) Williams Jr., Jacksonville, NC, Stanley (Julia) Huff, Forestville, MD, and John (Tracy) Huff, Fayetteville, NC, two stepsons; Vincent and Edward Williams, Brentwood, MD and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren and other relatives and friends.
