Obituary

RUBY MELBA MERRITT, our loving mother and grandmother, made heaven her home on August 3, 2010. A celebration of her life will be conducted on Friday, August 6, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. at Beard Mortuary, Huntington, by Pastor Phil Wilson. Burial will follow at Ridgelawn Memorial Park. Ruby was born March 1, 1918, the daughter of the late Perry W. & Beulah (Moore) Higginbotham, She was a retired nurse, serving Huntington Hospital and C&O Hospital during her career. She was preceded in death by the father of her children, Chester F. Melba; 2nd husband, Paul F. Merritt; and her brothers, Ernest & Don Higginbotham. Ruby is survived by her daughter, Beulah (Dick) Dilworth of Huntington, and her son, Joseph P. (Kay) Melba of Moore, SC; grandsons John (Kay) Melba, Scott (Courtney) Melba, David Guinn, Michael (Janet) Guinn, and Matthew (Kimberly) Guinn; and seven great-grandchildren, Morgan, Jadon, Makayla, Hailey, Justin, Brittney, and Heather Guinn, and Haley & Cohn Melba. Ruby’s loving heart and kindness will long be cherished by her family, friends and her special church family at Harmony United Methodist Church. Friends may call on Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Beard Mortuary, Huntington.