A life well lived came to an end for Mrs. Ruby Gay Crudup after 85 years at the MS Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, MS, on December 20, 2020. She was the oldest child born to Aaron and Josie Smith Mayers on July 28, 1935, in Raleigh, MS.
Ruby joined Good Hope Baptist Church, located in Burns, MS, when she was 11 years old and was the oldest member of Good Hope when she passed.
At age 5, Ruby began school at Turner Chapel in Raleigh, MS. She also attended New Prospect and Epting schools, all in Smith County. In 1953 her family moved to Oak Grove, LA, to a cotton plantation where she picked over 400 lbs. of cotton daily. In 26 days, she and her two brothers picked 26 bales of cotton weighing 1200 lbs. each. Following that harvest, she wrote her Aunt Julie and asked her to send her $20, which she used to purchase a bus ticket to return to Forest, MS, where she spent the remainder of her life.
Ruby married Milton Riley and later Albany Crudup, Sr. She owned Ruby’s Café in Forest, where she provided food and music for her customers; plus she provided meals for the inmates at the local jail for 4 years. Ruby also operated the Forest Laundry Mat for 5 years and worked 14 years as the Forest School District’s cafeteria manager. During this time, she also worked evenings and weekends at Lackey Memorial Hospital for 17 years as a cook there. For 5 years, she worked double 8 hour shifts at the hospital and State Pride Chicken Plant. Her last job was at Forest Head Start Center, where she worked 13 years as the cafeteria manager. Ruby’s life was truly dedicated to work.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Daniel and Louise Parker Mayers, and Less and Bulah Brown Smith; her parents Aaron Sr., and Josie Smith Mayers; her husband Albany Crudup Sr.; a brother, Billy Mayers and a son-in-law, Sammy West.
Ruby leaves to cherish her memories three sons; Albany Jr., (Felicia) of Baton Rouge; LA, Andre’ (Karen) and William Crudup of Forest, MS; three daughters, Linda Ormond, Gulfport, MS; Ann West, Forest, MS; and Bennie Fay (Danny) Johnson, Morton, MS; six brothers, George, Aaron, James, Herman, Sammy and Robert Lewis Mayers; two sisters-in-law, 19 grandchildren, 27 great-grands, two great-great grands, special cousins, Mattie, Daisy, Gladys, Rosie, Sue and Andrea, and a friend Betty; plus, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. We loved her, but God loves her best. “God is My All and All.”
