Mrs. Ruby Frances (Redding) Blackburn, age 89, of Greenwood, Indiana, formerly of Vevay, Indiana, entered this life on March 13, 1928, in Paris, Kentucky, the loving daughter of the late, Thomas and Katie Lee (Sanders) Watkins. She was raised in Paris and Lexington, Kentucky, where she attended school. Ruby was united in marriage on January 5, 1947, in Paris, Kentucky, to Woodrow Lee “Red” Blackburn and to this union arrived two sons, Windel Lee and Larry Allen and a daughter, Cindy Ann to bless their home. Ruby and Woodrow shared over 55 years of marriage together until Woodrow passed away on August 23, 2002. She was a milliner by trade for Hansley Mills in Lexington, Kentucky, for several years. She later moved to Switzerland County, Indiana in Craig Township in 1966 and was employed for the US Shoe Factory in Vevay, Indiana, for 30 years. Ruby was a member of the Spring Branch Baptist Church. Ruby resided the past 9 years in the Greenwood, Indiana community with her son, Larry and his wife: Karen where she was lovingly cared for. Ruby was a wonderful homemaker and will be remembered for her love of her grandchildren, cooking, sewing and her church. Ruby went to be with her Lord and Savior at 2:00 pm, Friday, March 17, 2017, at the Greenwood Meadows in Greenwood, Indiana.
Ruby will be dearly missed by her son: Larry Allen Blackburn and his wife: Karen of Greenwood, IN; her grandchildren: Joseph Taylor, Jennifer, Regina and Ericka; her great-grandchildren: Woodrow, Alexandra, Antonio, Adalaido, Ava Marie, Archer, Annestyn, Mason, Miles and Marshall; her great-great-granddaughter: Jazmyn Marie; her brother: John Riley Watkins, Jr. of FL; her sister: Billie Marking of FL and her brother-in-law: Benny Garland of Vevay, IN.
She was preceded in death by her parents: Thomas Redding, died August 9, 1935 and Katie Lee (Sanders) Watkins, died August 8, 2002; her husband: Woodrow Lee “Red” Blackburn, died August 23, 2002; her step-father: John “Johnny” Riley Watkins, died October 29, 1993; her son: Windel Lee Blackburn, died April 23, 1979; her daughter: Cindy Ann Blackburn, died March 3, 2009; her grandson: Joshua Bleu McFarland, died August 16, 1990; her granddaughter: Katie Alonso-Peralta, died August 22, 2011; her brothers: Thomas Redding and Earl Clark Watkins and her sisters: Anna Kathryn Redding, Jean Garland, Ruth Garland and Judy Johnson.
Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, March 21, 2017, at 11:00 am, by Rev. Howard Wade, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home, 208 Ferry Street Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Interment will follow in the Grandview Memorial Gardens, Madison, Indiana.
Friends may call 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm, Monday, March 20, 2017, at the Haskell & Morrison Funeral Home 208 Ferry Street Vevay, Indiana 47043.
Memorial contributions may be made to Spring Branch Baptist Church. Cards are available at the funeral home.