Obituary of Ruby Crouthers Bastress

Ruby Crouthers Bastress

October 19,1921 – October 16, 2021

Ruby Bastress has a new address. On October 16, 2021, three days before her 100^th birthday, she moved to heaven.  It was always her dream to relocate to her permanent residence to join her Lord and Savior.  She will join her husband Paul, relatives, and many friends.

Paul and Ruby met in Washington, DC just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Ruby had recently moved to Washington to work at the Department of Navy.  They married, after the war ended, on October 26, 1945. They were married for 48 years until Paul’s death from Lou Gehrig’s disease on December 24, 1993. 

They raised their two girls in Falls Church, Virginia and were actively involved at National Gardens Baptist Church.  In 1971, they built a home in Gainesville, Virginia with close friends as neighbors. They were members of Haymarket Baptist Church for over 20 years.  Ruby served as a Sunday School teacher, WMU Chair, Deacon and held many other leadership positions. In 1991, they left church family and friends and moved to a retirement community in Ocala.  They joined College Road Baptist Church.  Ruby was again active in the WMU, Sunday School and ESL.

After Paul’s passing, Ruby relocated to Sun City Center, and joined First Baptist Church of Ruskin where she was an active member of Sunday School, Sonshiners, and served on the visitation committee.  Her two daughters blessed her with four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Ruby is survived by her oldest daughter, Sharon Vasquez and husband, Ernest, grandson, Jason Goree, great grandson, Logan, fiancée, Carrie and her two children, Blake and Brooke. She will be remembered as a wonderful, caring, and loving mom, grandmother, and Gigi.

Ruby is also survived by her younger daughter, Joanne Hendricks, husband, Gary, grandson Brian, wife Teresa, and great granddaughters, Megan and Kaitlyn; grandson Michael, wife Molly, and great granddaughter, Izzy; granddaughter Kristen, husband Dave and great grandchildren, Reese and Keaton. She will be remembered for her loving nature, dedication to her Lord, commitment to her church and family, and a beloved mom, grandma, and Gigi.

A Celebration of Life was held at Sun City Center Funeral Home, 1851 Rickenbacker Drive, Sun City Center 33572 on Friday, October 22, 2021. Visitation will be 2:30–3:00 with a service at 3:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Ruskin, 820 College Avenue, W, Ruskin, FL 33570 www.fbcruskin.org; ServeTrust, (a charity Ruby supported, who minister to the marginalized in Andhra Pradesh, India) 24162 Rochester Lane, Aldie, VA 20105 www.servetrust.org; or Seasons Hospice Foundation, 6400 Shafer Ct., Suite 700, Rosemont, IL 60018 www.seasonshospice.org.