Ruby Perry Obituary

Ruby Jean Perry, 87, of Roswell, Georgia was born on January 11, 1937, to parents John Wesley Jackson and Ada Lee Murphy Jackson. Ms. Perry was welcomed by the Lord into the Kingdom of eternal glory on September 3, 2024.

Ruby was born in Helena, Arkansas and is the last surviving sibling of 8. She had 3 older brothers and 4 older sisters. Her family would affectionately call her “Baby Dumplings”. As a child, she attended Eliza Miller High School and was an excellent student often trusted by the teacher to manage the classroom when the teacher was out of the room. Her older sister, Willie Lou, lived in Memphis, Tennessee and would often take her, her sister Nadine, and brother Freddie, to see the Memphis Red Sox, the local Negro League baseball team. She enjoyed those trips to the “Big City” and while there would visit with other cousins and relatives.

Ruby obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Tennessee State University. She lived with her sister DeLois while attending college, and would help take care of her nephews and nieces. Ruby had a knack for taking care of others and it would show up in her lifelong service to her family.

While at TSU, she met her husband Rubin Perry. Ruby was a real beauty and had several suitors, but Rubin’s persistence won her over. As the story goes, God showed him Ruby in a dream while he was in highschool and when he saw her walking across the TSU campus, he knew that was the woman in his dream. He told her to “stick with me and I will make you queen of this campus” and when he became the student body president and a NAIA national basketball champion, he turned out to be right.

Ruby raised two children Reginald and Rhonda while Rubin fulfilled a military obligation serving as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and then working as an executive for IBM. Ruby moved seven times before finally settling down in Roswell, Ga.

In addition to being a homemaker and support to her husband, Ruby worked in a variety of jobs including as a laboratory technician and teacher’s assistant at a special needs school. After Rubin retired from IBM, Ruby became the financial vice president for Atlanta RP Enterprises. She and Rubin were featured in a Fortune Magazine article on retirees starting new small businesses.

Shortly after arriving in Roswell, Ruby and Rubin joined the Ben Hill United Methodist Church. They were both very involved members. They believed in the power of God to heal, and were instrumental in the Prayer, Praise and Healing class, Spiritual Growth Academy, Bible Study, and for many years Ruby would pray with the Pastors before service and assist with the church set up. Those who knew her would say she was quiet in demeanor but very powerful with her prayers. She had a wonderful relationship with the Lord and would meditate everyday, writing what the Holy Spirit would tell her. She had an abundant faith which she passed onto her children and grandson.

Ruby loved solving crossword puzzles and Sudoku, and watching Shark Tank and The Young and the Restless. During the pandemic, she learned to use Zoom. She would virtually meet weekly with members of her family and with her Sunday School class. She also looked forward to watching the Ben Hill UMC live stream every Sunday morning.

Ruby was preceded in death by Rubin in 2022 and her siblings, Bessie, Willie Lou, Robert, Nelson, DeLois, Freddie and Nadine. She is survived by her daughter Dr. Rhonda Rivers (Anthony) of Powder Springs, Ga., son Dr. Reginald Perry (Carla) of Tallahassee, Fl., and grandson Mr. Reginald Perry, Jr. (Jillian) of Houston, Texas.

Services

Visitation
Wednesday
September 18, 2024
5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
4405 Marietta Street
Powder Springs, GA 30127

Funeral Service
Thursday
September 19, 2024
11:00 AM
Ben Hill United Methodist Church
2099 Fairburn Rd. SW
Atlanta, GA 30331

Interment
Friday
September 20, 2024
11:00 AM
Georgia National Cemetery (Canton, GA)
1080 Scott Hudgens
Canton, Georgia 30114