Ruby L. (Youngblood) Woodring
Ruby Lee (Youngblood) Wo-odring, formerly of this city, passed away at Camp Pendleton, Calif. on Jan. 9, 2018 ,at the age of 87. Born on 30 August 1930, in Winona, Ruby was the youngest of eight children born to Oscar Solomon Youngblood and Etta Mabel Shoe-mate.At Ellington High School she participated in sports and clubs, and was valedictorian of her graduating class. In the seventh grade, Ruby met Willard J. (Jim) Woodring, Jr., who joined the Marine Corps Reserves in December 1947 and left for boot camp on the night of his high school graduation. Before leaving for Korea in 1950, Jim telephoned Ruby and asked her to wait for him; she agreed. Every year the couple celebrated Jan. 5, the day in 1951 that Jim returned to Ellington to find Ruby at her job as a linotype opera-tor at the Ellington Press. They had not seen each other in 8 years. They were married in Fredricksburg, Va., in 1953 and had two children, Valerie and James William (Bill). The family lived at Quantico, Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton, and in Taipei, Taiwan. After Jim retired from active duty in 1983, he and Ruby built their dream home in Fallbrook, California. They had the good fortune to share a life there together for 30 years.Ruby was known for her warmth and generous spirit. She en-joyed playing golf with the ladies’ group at Camp Pendleton and at nearby courses. She sang in the choir at Marine Memorial Chapel, Camp Pendleton, and was an active member of the Marine wives organization and an avid reader. She is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Valerie and Chris Goertzen of Slidell, LA; son James W. (Bill) Woodring of Fallbrook, CA; sister Mildred Copeland of Crystal City, MO; granddaughters Kate Goertzen (m. Erek Dyskant) of Washington, DC, and Ellen Goertzen of Carrboro, NC; niece Cindy (Youngblood) Gastineau of Elling-ton, and many other nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren.A memorial service was held at Marine Memorial Chapel, Camp Pendleton, on January 16. Ruby will be laid to rest alongside her husband Jim (who passed away in 2013) at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Di-ego. Donations may be made in Ruby Woodring’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
