Ruby Jewell Collins

Ruby Jewell McDole Collins was born on August 5, 1928 in Fort Gibson, Okla., to Walter N. McDole and Flossie E. G. Claborn McDole, the seventh of seven siblings. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 1, 2009 in Bartlesville, OK at the age of 81.
She attended school in Leonard, OK until 1940, when the family moved to Bixby, OK. She was in the marching band, playing the clarinet, in the Bixby, OK high school and was graduated in 1945. She attended both OSU-Okmulgee and the University of Tulsa, majoring in music. She worked for Brown-Duncan Department Store and IBM, in Tulsa.
Ruby met Leo Evans "Bub" Collins in Tulsa when he returned from World War II. Bub always insisted it was love at first sight for him. They were married June 6, 1948 at Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa, OK. They were blessed with three children, Marsha, Bevan, and Sam. They joined the family oil business, with Ruby the vice-president/secretary of Collins Petroleum, Inc. and a partner of Collins Oil Company for many years. They bought the Bandwheel Ranch near Tyro, KS in 1969. Ruby spent many happy times there with her tractor, mower and Black Angus cattle.
Ruby had a strong interest in lapidary work and mineral collecting. She oversaw the development of a rock and mineral collection at Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa and became the first president of the Gillies.
Ruby professed faith in Christ at an early age in the Methodist Church at Leonard, Okla.
She was a member and elder for many years at First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa. She was also active in the Meals on Wheels program and a supporter of Habitat for Humanity.
Upon moving to Bartlesville, Okla., in 2007, she joined Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church.
Ruby was devoted to and very proud of her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bub, in 1987, her grandson, Joshua Leo Collins, and her siblings and their spouses: Herbert (Crista), Ewell (Eleanor), Dan, Robert, Zelma (Charles Cooper), and Pauline.
Ruby is survived by her daughter, Marsha (Clayton) Evans, son, Bevan (Karen) Collins, and son, Sam (Laresa) Collins. She is also survived by 5 grandsons: Jonathan Evans (Alex Niehues) of Tulsa, Okla., Charles (Lindsay) Collins of Oklahoma City, Okla., Stephen Collins of Norman, Okla., Adam Collins of Bethany, Okla., and Nathan Collins of Bartlesville, Okla., as well as one great-grandson, Oliver Evans of Tulsa, Okla.
She is also survived by sisters-in-law Lucile McDole and Daphne Illeman, special niece Beverly Kavanaugh, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and many friends.
Services are under the direction of the Stanley Funeral Home in Tulsa, OK, where visitation will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on both December 3rd and 4th, 2009.
Memorial services will be held in the Chapel at First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, OK at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2009. The Dr. Jim Miller of First Presbyterian Church and the Rev. Dale Scott of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to Habitat for Humanity. Stanleys 743-6271 www.stanleysfuneralhome.com.