Ruby H. Anderton

The funeral for Mrs. Ruby Haddock Anderton, of Florence, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 15, at Highland Baptist Church, with Brother Chris Underwood and the Rev. John Brock officiating. A private family burial will follow. The family will receive friends one hour before the service and one hour after the service at the church.

Ruby passed away Wednesday, March 13, 2008. At 100 years of age, Ruby has lived through the most challenging and productive time in our nation's history. Ruby's life reflected her love of family, her faith in Christ and her independent spirit. A lovely lady who was more precious than the jewel of her name, Ruby has served her Lord since she was saved at the age of 13 at Evergreen Baptist Church. She was born into the itinerant farm family of Joseph Wesley Haddock and Alice Grisham Haddock, the youngest daughter of 12 children.

The Rev. Joe Haddock farmed, blacksmithed and preached at several churches, including serving as pastor for 18 years at Johnson Crossroads Baptist Church in Cloverdale, Ala. Ruby remembered the horse-drawn buggy and the one-mile walk to Rocky Knoll School and the two-mile walk to church. She remembered the old pump organ that her sister, Essie, played for Ruby, Doyle and Essie to sing at home and church.

After the seventh grade, she attended Threets Crossroads School through the 11th grade. A new school was established at Central. Ruby transferred to the new Central High School and became the 1928-29 senior class president of the first graduating class at Central.

With great determination, Ruby completed one quarter of bookkeeping and required courses at Florence Normal College under meager financial resources with only two cotton dresses. In fact, money was not available during the Great Depression for her to continue school, so she went to work at Scott's Five & Ten Cent Store as a sales clerk. Seven years later, she obtained work at J.T. Flagg Knitting Mill. With her farm-girl attitude of using efficient methods, Ruby did a time study that proved the workers could be more productive. Her plan was implemented, and the boss recognized her talent with a promotion to the office as a cost accountant.

Ruby continued her career as a bookkeeper at J.T. Flagg for several years. During her early working years, Ruby supported her aging father, her bed-fast mother and an aging blind aunt. After her mother's death, Brother Joe Haddock decided to rotate living with his other children. Blind Aunt Melia went to live with her brother, Jesse Haddock. Ruby accepted employment as a bookkeeper with the Baptist Children's Home in Troy, Ala. After several years, she returned to Florence and continued as a bookkeeper for McIntyre Buick car dealership. She also owned Florence Drapery Shop and Quality Builders with her husband, Julius Anderton. She retired at the age of 73.

Ruby had made the most of the life by living for the Lord, giving to others and finding humor wherever possible. She loved a good joke. She and her late husband, Julius F. Anderton, who owned Quality Builders (he retired at age 88), were married almost 41 years at Julius' death at age 104 years and 8 months. They were married at Highland Baptist Church on Oct. 20, 1956, and he was buried on Easter Sunday 1997.

Ruby and Julius enjoyed church, family, entertaining, rook games, gardening, traveling and fishing. A source of delight for her was the 7 1/2-pound catfish she caught on one of their many fishing trips. Growing roses and sharing rose bouquets through the years had been a special joy for Ruby, who always wanted to bless others.

Beyond teaching Sunday school for 75 years, singing in Highland Baptist Church Choir for 50 years, Ruby visited nursing homes, hospitals and shut-ins, even hiring help to do so when her eyesight failed. Even then, she continued to fill shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse until 2004, when she was hospitalized because of poor circulation in her leg.

As a resident of Merrill Gardens, she enjoyed the closeness of her brother, Gertha Haddock; her stepson, Norman, and his wife, Mary; nieces, nephews and friends. Ruby particularly enjoyed the last Merrill Gardens fishing trips and always looked forward to the next one.

Ruby was preceded in death by family members, Emmitt Haddock, Emma Haddock Hayes, Edna Haddock, Clyde Haddock, Lillian Haddock Murphy, Amy Haddock Sledge, Essie Haddock Delano, Doyle Haddock, Claude Haddock and Christopher Haddock.

Memorials may be made in memory of Ruby Haddock Anderton to Highland Baptist Church.

Elkins Funeral Home is assisting the family.