Ruby Marie Owens Starling

Ruby Marie Owens Starling was a shining light to those around her, and now her light has ascended into heaven to bless us all.

 Ruby graduated to the next phase of her eternal life on March 19, 2014 due to complications of advanced age, but she left a legacy that will go on forever. She was preceded in death by her husband H. Austin Starling, her son Dennis Starling and her younger brother Charles Owens. She is survived by her sister Vera Smith of Phoenix, AZ, sons Robert and Gary Starling of Salt Lake City, UT, her daughter Rosalyn Shepherd of Columbus, 14 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.

 Born December 10, 1926 in Columbus, GA, Ruby showed signs of extraordinary intelligence at an early age. Her parents were Canaan David Jackson Owens of Atlanta and Marie Louise Chambless of Opelika, AL. Marie’s friend was a kindergarten teacher, so she allowed Ruby to start her schooling at the age of three.

 Although she and her sweetheart Austin met when she was just seventeen, she promised her parents she would finish school before getting married. In 1944 she was in the graduating class of Jordan Vocational High School and she and Austin were married soon afterwards. When Austin passed away in 2009 they had been married for 65 years.

 Ruby always had a head for figures, and she worked for many years as a bookkeeper for Woodcrest Enterprises. A child of the Depression, she instilled in her four children the value of a dollar and a sense of thriftiness. But she was also very generous to those she loved, often to a fault.

 In her early teen years Ruby and her family joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon”), and she was active in church all her life. That church’s young women’s program offered an achievement similar to that of an Eagle Scout, and Ruby became the first “Golden Gleaner” in the entire southeastern U.S. Two years after their civil marriage ceremony, they became the first Mormon couple in the Columbus area to go to an LDS temple and be sealed together in a “celestial marriage” for “time and all eternity”, not just “till death do you part”.

 Ruby and Austin loved square dancing and going camping to enjoy the great outdoors. They held offices in the Follow Me Travelers and other square dance clubs and the Georgia Unit of the Wally Byam Caravan International camping club. They loved to sit around a campfire near their Airstream camping trailer, especially at the Top of Georgia campground near Helen, GA. She also loved playing card games with family and friends.

 Many thanks to Columbus Hospice for their assistance in the last few weeks. A short graveside service will take place Tuesday March 25 at 10:00 AM at Park Hill Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at 3:00 PM at The Rivercrest Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3007 Howard Ave. in Columbus. A reception will follow in the church Cultural Hall.

 Those who wish to may sign the online guest registry at www.vancebrooksfuneralhome.com.

 Although we’ll miss her until our family circle is complete once more “up yonder” in the “by and by”, we can rejoice in the knowledge and faith that she’s happy being together once more with her beloved husband. We can also be certain that Austin was waiting at the gate and greeted her with his familiar request, “Kiss me Ruby”!