Obituary of Ruby Pearlena Walters

Ruby Pearlena Walters peacefully entered eternal life on Saturday morning, 08 June 2019. She was 86 years old and felt blessed to have lived 16 years beyond His promise. Her loving spirit is carried on by her 3 surviving children; 5 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; 6 surviving siblings; many nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of extended family and friends that she loved dearly.

Born and raised in Lee County, SC on 26 April 1933, Ruby was the daughter of Eugene and Viola Lowery. At an early age she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. She was blessed with a strong and beautiful voice which she shared singing in the church choir at St. Peter AME Church in Mayesville, SC.

She received her associate’s degree in Cosmetology from Denmark Technical Community College in Denmark, SC. She was a licensed and skillful cosmetologist and exemplified this by styling her sisters’ hair on a regular basis.

Ruby was a faithful, dedicated, hardworking, respected, and deeply loved employee of Cumberland County Schools in Fayetteville, NC. She was in service for over 20 years at Morganton Road Elementary School where everyone loved and adored their “Mrs. Walters”. Shortly after retiring, she was asked to return and be the school’s “Cafeteria Monitor” where she would help the younger students during their lunch period. This position was created just for her; that’s just how much she was loved by the school.  She was known for looking out for the children (especially the ones who were in need) and give them extra food (namely milk and fruit) to take home. She would always encourage the children to do their best and that they could be anything they wanted; the sky was their limit.

She was a champion for the underdog and she just loved to encourage people and point out the good in themselves.

She had a passion for gardening and was known for having one of the most beautiful lawns in the neighborhood. She LOVED working in her yard and was proud of her organic compost. One of her proudest moments was discovering red potatoes that had grown underground as a result of her composting efforts! Fiercely independent (and when she was still able), Ruby would not hesitate to mow her own lawn (front and back) rather than wait for the “yard man”. Her beautiful flowers and plants were admired by everyone and she loved to share her bounty with family and friends (and friends who came along with family and friends)! She loved sharing whatever she had—no matter how much or how little she had for herself. No one ever left her presence without something in their hand—even if it was a banana or a roll of paper towels. Ruby loved to share. She used to say, “If I can help somebody…” She embodied the Scripture from Matthew 22:39: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” She was always doing for others and often put many before herself.

She was the recycling queen; her motto was: “Throw nothing away—see ME first!'' She could make treasures out of things most folks would throw away. Coffee grounds, banana peels, eggshells…you did not dare throw those away in her presence! Why, that’s the foundation for her compost! Paper? Why that’ll make a good scribble pad! Old wire hanger? Well, if you stretch out the triangle part and wrap tape around it, you’ve got a hook to get things that are out of your reach!

Ruby loved her family! She was loving, nurturing, and loved caring for them.

She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who were the joy of her life:

Children: Jeffrey Walters (wife Patricia) of the home; Karen Mia Walters of Richmond, VA; and, Jerome Walters (wife Jamie) of Fayetteville, NC.  Grandchildren: Nicole LaVerne Brooks (husband Terry, children Anna, TJ, and Matthew) of Olive Branch, MS; Sonia Marie Paul (husband Mike) of Elgin, SC; Dajion Jamal Walters (son Kahnowa) of Hyannis, MA; Erika Elizabeth Walters (fiancé Rudolph Antonio Godfrey) of Columbia, SC; and, Courtney Jerome Walters of Fayetteville, NC.

Siblings: Ernestine Singletary of Washington, DC; Mazarine Parrot (Willie B.) of Clinton, MD; Joreatha Gadson of Sumter, SC; Jethro Lowery of Laurel, MD; Betty Wilson (Henry “Dr. Pete”) of Sumter, SC; and, Nathaniel Lowery (Leola) of Lynchburg, SC.

Ruby is reunited with her husband, Arnold McPhail Walters and their eldest son, Thomas James Walters. She is also predeceased by seven siblings.

The family will receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2019 at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park located at 845 Leesburg Road in Columbia, South Carolina.  Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 15, 2019 in the chapel of Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park with burial to follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park.