On Friday, November 28th, 2014 Ruby van Rooyen of Delray Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully having actively participated in life for over 107 years. Mrs. van Rooyen was born on June 6, 1907, together with her twin brother Rufe. There were also older twin sisters, Evelyn and Catherine, and one younger brother Mel. Ruby was born and grew up in Athens and Hart County, Georgia. Unfortunately, her mother died when she was six and one-half years old. As a result, Ruby spent six years living with members of her family in Atlanta, Georgia.
At age thirteen, Ruby and her father met Mr. and Mrs. Richie who were leaders of the Rabun Gap Industrial School. Ruby was accepted at the school, and joined her brothers and sisters who were already matriculated there. After graduating, Ruby went back to the school and taught. Ruby believed that her time with the Richies produced the greatest positive influence on her life. Moving back to Atlanta, she found employment, and met and married John Scott.
He was a business man in the New York Area who with others bought into a huge automobile parts warehouse now known as the Genuine Parts Company. The Scotts lived in New Jersey, New York City and Long Island. After John Scott died, Ruby married a widower friend, Abraham van Rooyen. Mr. van Rooyen was a major importer of tulip bulbs into this country. During their three year marriage, Abraham and Ruby spent their winters in Florida. When Mr. van Rooyen retired, they moved to Delray Beach. Abraham died three months later.
To stay young at heart, Ruby began ballroom dancing. She won numerous awards for her dancing abilities, but in her late 90's she stopped competing as there was no one in her age category with whom to compete.
Ruby van Rooyen has been a parishioner of St. Joseph's Episcopal Church since first coming to Delray Beach in 1966. She had a true love for the church that can be seen in the many treasures to which she contributed. There is a parish hall bearing the van Rooyen name. Ruby had a great gift in her ability to needlepoint as depicted in the thirty-five chairs and kneeling cushions. Ruby was the project chairman for the fourteen parishioners involved.
Ruby is survived by numerous grand and great-grand nephews and nieces. In the last years of her life Ruby was most grateful to have a group of outstanding nurses caring for her under the leadership of Vera Braithwaite.
In more recent years, Ruby has continued her charitable ways by giving funds to the Rabun Gap Nachoochee School, St. Joseph's Church and School, The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County and the National Psoriasis Foundation. If you wish to make a memorial gift, Ruby would suggest the above organizations.
There will be a memorial service at St. Joseph's Church, 3300 South Seacrest Blvd, Boynton Beach FL, on Sunday December 7th at 4pm; followed by a reception in the van Rooyen Parish Hall. Ruby dictated that this be a time of celebration and that people wear bright, colorful clothes.