SPRINGFIELD - Ruby Justine Willey, age 82 , passed away Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, at Mill Creek Alzheimer Special Care Center in Springfield.
She was born Jan. 17, 1925, in Princeton, W.Va., the fifth and youngest child of George Ambrose and Velvie Poff Massey. She had been a resident of Taylorville in her early life and attended Taylorville High School.
She married in 1941 and had four children: sons; David of Spokane, Wash., and Ron of Springfield; daughters, Karen (Don) Winch of Cameroon and Kandy (Richard) Grafton of Springfield. She married John Willey in 1956 and they had a fifth child, son John (Carole) of Springfield. She was widowed in 1985 and later was preceded in death by her siblings; three sisters, Hazel Tenney of Virginia, Daisy Wood of Hillsboro and Ercel Nagle of Taylorville; and a brother, James Massey of California.
She loved being a homemaker and was an excellent seamstress and enjoyed gardening and handwork. She and her husband John loved traveling the U.S., and she continued to travel after his death with trips to Africa and Russia and many states. She was a devoted member of West Side Christian Church for 58 years, Kings Daughters Circle and loved being a member there of the Beau Knot class, whose fellow members she regarded as her longest and dearest friendships.
She is also survived by brother-in-law, Joseph Nagle of Palmer; sister-in-law, Viola Massey of California; two nieces, Carol (David) Reymer of California, and Sara Nagle of Palmer; three nephews, Walter (Rosalie) Wood, Dale (Mary Ellen) Wood, both of Springfield, and Wayne Wood of Petersburg; seven grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; and great-nieces and great-nephews.
Services are under the direction of Bisch Funeral Home West, 2931 S. Koke Mill Road, where friends may call 5-7 pm Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, with funeral services at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 4, 2007, at the funeral home with the Rev. Charles Lee officiating.
Interment will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.