Rubye Mae Johnson's Obituary
Obituary
Mother Rubye Mae Johnson
January 24, 1920 – February 7, 2025
Rubye Mae Johnson was born in Lake City, Florida on January 24, 1920, to Essie and Frederic Robinson. Rubye and her twin brother, Ruben, were fifth and sixth in the line of the Robinsons’ 12 children (10 living to adulthood). The family moved to Tampa, Florida in 1924. Frederic was employed by the federal government’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s, and worked also as a security guard in local businesses. Essie was a laundress and a highly skilled seamstress. All the children were raised in New Salem Missionary Baptist Church, where Mother Essie was a revered leader.
Rubye attended the segregated public schools of Tampa. At Middleton High School, she was a good student and an enthusiastic member of the girls’ basketball team. After graduation, she looked forward to attending college to major in “home economics”, which was a popular field for young women of her generation; but the college aspiration was not fulfilled until many years later, when as a mature woman she attended American River College in Sacramento, California to explore some of her interests.
Rubye’s first marriage was to Fred Larry of Brooksville, Florida, a waiter and aspiring small business owner, in 1938. Their daughter, Gloria, was the only child of this marriage. Their subsequent divorce did not deter Rubye’s resilient spirit. With the support of her mother, sisters and brothers, she was soon back in stride. While working as a cashier at the Base Exchange (BX) at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Rubye met LeRoy Johnson, a young airman from Memphis, Tennessee. They married on February 16, 1948. Rubye’s second daughter, Patricia, was born to this union.
Airman Johnson built a stellar career in the Air Force, attaining the rank of Chief Master Sergeant before retiring. Rubye’s strong partnership with her husband sustained homes for the family as they moved to each new military assignment – first to Kansas, then Massachusetts, Bermuda, England, and finally McClellan Air Force Base in North Highlands, California. She enjoyed the life of an Air Force wife, as it offered opportunities to travel and become knowledgeable about foreign countries, aspirations she had held since childhood. Throughout her life, Rubye enjoyed traveling to Alaska, the Bahamas, (back to) Bermuda, and Johannesburg, South Africa. She was looking forward to a trip to Jerusalem in her 90’s, but it was cancelled because of conflict.
Rubye established her independence as a woman by working earnestly to earn her living and contribute to her family’s stability. With an abiding deep respect for hard work, she practiced independence long before most women of her generation. She was proud of her competence and achievement in all her jobs – from laundry worker, to Macy’s Downtown long-term Fashion Fair Cosmetics saleswoman, to volunteer cook at Senior Gleaners. Rubye started working in a commercial laundry in Sacramento in 1955. She served as a UAW union steward in 1957, showing courage to stand up for workers’ rights to fair treatment and compensation, as well as safe working conditions. She worked fulltime into her later 70’s, and subsequently took part-time employment as a caregiver to the infirmed.
Rubye loved beautiful things. She always dressed exquisitely, having an extraordinary knack for creating fashionable outfits. She delighted in redecorating her home periodically. Her sewing skills, learned from her mother, were put to good use in making clothing, curtains, sofa covers, and other items for her home. She cultivated the roses and camellia bushes that made her front yard attractive. She also loved music, and regularly sang in church choirs throughout many decades. She also looked forward to going out to dance with her husband and friends.
Shortly after her husband was assigned to McClellan Air Force Base, Rubye sought a church home in Sacramento. She joined Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in 1955. She became a devoted usher at Shiloh in 1971, always wearing her uniform with dignity, drawing compliments on how perfectly-put-together she was, and how beautiful she looked. She spent many hours ordering all the ushers’ uniforms, training young ushers, and encouraging all the ushers to maintain high standards in their comportment. She served on the Planning Committee for Annual Days for over 20 years.
Her Usher service included participation with the Sacramento Valley District Ushers as:
• the first counselor for the Young Adult Ushers Dept.
• Memorial Chairman
• An organizer of the School of Ushering First Ladies Brunch Fashion Show, an annual event that everyone looked forward to. Her ability to coordinate multiple organizing details and participants ensured the success of the shows for years.
And for the State Usher’s Conventions, she served on the Ways & Means, and Public Relations Committees and on the Board of Directors.
Rubye enjoyed taking part in uplifting social activities. She founded the Silhouettes social club with several of her friends.
In 2005, Rubye was appointed a member of Shiloh’s Mothers Board, an honor that she lived up to with grace. On the Mothers’ Board and Usher Board, and Phoebe Circle -- in all areas of her church engagement, she contributed her natural leadership skills to benefit her community. She regularly tithed, and donated monthly to World Vision International to help support children in El Salvador and Ethiopia.
Rubye offered all these forms of service efficiently and quietly, without fanfare, over many decades. When she no longer had the energy to be as intensely involved at Shiloh, she encouraged others to step up to assume leadership roles. In so many ways, she was a blessed example of the ways an individual’s long-term commitment helps to build a strong Church institution. In 2012, Rubye became a regular attendee of Tuesday Morning Bible Study at New Testament Baptist Church in North Highlands, close to her home. She also networked with the members of the Mother’s Board there, and made many new long-term friendships.
She demonstrated what it means to be a good servant to one’s community and to the Good Lord. She was truly blessed to live a long, satisfying, extraordinary life of 105 years.
Rubye leaves to cherish her memory her two daughters, Dr. Gloria House and Patricia Johnson; a grandson, Uri Heru House, granddaughter-in-law, Andrea Hetheru House, and great granddaughter, Isis House, of Detroit, MI; a sister, Mrs. Margaret Lester and nephew Keith Lester, of St. Petersburg, FL; nieces Debra McFarland of Tampa, FL, Theodora Robinson of Jacksonville, FL, Paulette Jackson of Lakeland, FL; nephews Donnell Holmes, Alvin Holmes, and Quentin Robinson, all of Tampa, FL; many grand nieces and nephews; godson Edgar Gardner, of Sacramento; “adopted” daughters, Jean Henderson of North Highlands, CA and Linda Gray, of Sacramento, “adopted” son and daughter, Col. Samuel and wife Shelby Harris of Marion, TX, and many friends at Shiloh and New Testament churches. She was appreciated and respected by her neighbors, her VFW associates, and most recently, her supportive caregivers, Kathleen McCollum and Tina Morgan, who are very much appreciated for maintaining her joy through her last years.
FUNERAL SERVICES TO BE HELD
February 27, 2025 at 11AM
[Viewing at 10AM]
at
Shiloh Baptist Church
3565 9th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95817
Interment immediately following funeral service, at
Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes
4701 Marysville Blvd.
Sacramento, CA 95838
Repast after gravesite interment, at
New Testament Baptist Church
6746 34th Street
North Highlands, CA 95660
♥️
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