CENTRAL CITY - Ruby Marie (Beck) Charron, 83, of Central City, died Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, at CountryHouse Residence in Elkhorn.
A celebration of life service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at Solt-Wagner Funeral Home in Central City, with Pastor Curtis Cooper officiating. Interment will follow in the Central City Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, at the funeral home
Memorials are suggested to Merrick County 4-H and the American Red Cross.
Condolences can be sent to the family at
www.soltwagnerfuneral.com.Ruby Marie (Beck) Charron was born on Dec. 2, 1939, in Grand Island, to James and Ethel (Meyers) Beck on Ethel's 20th birthday. She was raised in Grand Island, attending the public schools and graduating from Grand Island Senior High in 1957. She was active in dance, choir, Rainbow Girls and bowling. She attended business college in Denver and was trained in secretarial skills and bookkeeping. She then returned to Grand Island,and was employed with State Farm Insurance to run the office with her mother.
On Jan. 22, 1960, Ruby married the love of her life, Kenneth Charron. The couple started their long life together on the family farm north of Central City. She remained on the farm with Ken until his unexpected passing in April, 2021. Then she moved to CountryHouse Residence in Elkhorn, to be closer to her daughter Audrey.
Ruby was very active raising her family and helping run the farm. She was a member of First Christian Church. She made time to participate as a Merrick County 4-H leader and fair judge, volunteer for the American Red Cross blood mobile, Lone Tree North township election clerk, County Extension board member, U-go-I-go Extension Club, the Platt Duetsche Society, CC Fitness Center, and CC Sportsman Club.
Her many hobbies included playing piano, dancing, bowling, sewing, needlework, gardening, fishing, trapshooting, reading, traveling, and baking. Her homemade white bread won first premium at the Merrick County Fair for more than 30 years. Born a city girl, she became an amazing partner, farm wife, mother, grandmother and friend.
Dementia slowly robbed her of many joys, abilities and memories of living a fulfilled life. But her smile was always present for her family and friends.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Russell (Corinne) Charron of Central City, Audrey Charron Cover of Omaha, Karl (Wendy) Charron of Grove City, Ohio, Keith (Abigail) Charron of Hickman, and Anna (Joseph) Dugas of Shreveport, La.,; her sister, Judy (Chuck) Mead of Wood River; a brother, Gary Meyer of Grand Island; a brother-in-law, John (Penny) Books of Broken Bow; two sisters-in-law, Nancy Beck of Austin, Minn., and Kathryn (Charron) Schick of Curtis; 15 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; her parents and grandparents; her in-laws, Luther and Doris (Clark) Charron; a sister, Linda (Beck) Books; a brother, James Beck Jr.; a sister-in-law, Linda Meyers; a brother and sister-in-law, Harold and Joan Charron; two brothers-in-law, Max Charron and Donald Schick; and a great-grandson, Kellen Charron.
Published by The Grand Island Independent on Jan. 3, 2023.