Obituary: Ruby Mildred Holladay

Services for Ruby Mildred Holladay, 99, Santa Rosa, Calif., will be at a later date.

Mrs. Holladay died Oct. 19, 2007, in Santa Rosa.

She was born Sept. 30, 1908, on a farm near McLouth, Jefferson County, Kan. the daughter of Clyde and India Swain.

Mrs. Holladay had a member of Stanwood Friends Church near Tonganoxie, since 1921.

She had lived on and worked the family farm near Oskaloosa until 1977, when she moved to Tonganoxie. In 1996, on her 88th birthday, she moved to Santa Rosa to be near her daughter and family.

Ruby spent much of her lifetime caring for the sick and elderly, babysitting neighbor’s children, and helping on the farm. She was a great lover of music, and, in her time, played the piano, organ and other instruments by ear — and she had no formal training. She will be missed by all whose lives she touched.

She married Tom Holladay of Oskaloosa on June 30, 1936. He died in 1977.

A twin daughter, Verda Fay was stillborn.

Survivors include her daughter, Verna M. Petersen; two grandsons; two great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandson.

At her request, services will be announced and conducted at a later date in Kansas. Daniels Chapel of the Roses, Santa Rosa, Calif., is handling arrangements.