Ruby Jo Dowlen

Ruby Jo Dowlen, age 93 and the last matriarch of the Berry family was called home on October 9, 2024. She was the fifth of seven children born to Henry C. Berry and Della B. Berry on October 18, 1930.
She married the love of her life, Billie Frank Dowlen on May 27, 1950, and enjoyed 53 blissful years. Together they built their home in Lake Jackson and were blessed with three children, Donna Jo Hummel (Jim), Rebecca Lynn Ewing (Roy) and Patrick Henry Dowlen (Carolyn). They spent many hours walking Surfside Beach, making and sharing Bill's extraordinary peanut brittle, camping with the children and traveling to visit relatives stopping at the many Texas attractions along the way.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bill Dowlen; daughter, Donna Jo Hummel; sisters, Mary Lee Day (Roy), Betty Blanche Raby (Loy), Jean Raby (Doug), and Ruth Dowlen (Vince); and brothers, Cliff Berry (Pauline), and Henry C. Berry Jr. (Marjorie).
She is survived by her daughter, Rebecca Ewing; son, Patrick Dowlen and sister-in-law Marjorie Berry. Her beloved grandchildren, Bruce Ewing (Traci), Bryan Ewing (Jennie), Nathan Dowlen (Alyssa), Michael Hummel (Tara), Matthew Hummel (Angela), and Katie Buchanan (Benjamin). She also had thirteen wonderful great-grandchildren,
Grant, Colton, Reed, Lilly, Graham, Track, Cooper, Honor, Merritt, Oliver, Ethan, Ellie and Caleb.
Ruby Jo was a devout Christian and never missed an opportunity to share God's plan of salvation with her family, friends, neighbors, and physicians. She bought many Bibles to share with others.
She was best known for her fierce independent determination, amusing sense of humor, generous spirit and love of God and family. She took the phrase "cleanliness is next to Godliness" to heart as she washed, ironed, dusted, vacuumed and bleached almost every day.
As part of her generous heart, she shopped for bargains so she would have a closet full of gifts or a stash of gifts under her bed to give to visiting family and friends. She continued driving into her nineties taking friends to doctor visits or shopping.
She was a wonderful cook well known for her outstanding pralines and delicious fried apricot pies. She also loved working in her yard and kept it mowed and pristine up into her 80's.
She enjoyed daily coffee visits or phone calls with her lifetime friend, Betty Heard of sixty eight years. She was so blessed with her many caring friends from First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson, along with kind-hearted neighbors in Riggs Oaks. She added to those blessings of friends when she moved to The Landing after Hurricane Harvey.
Ruby Jo loved her many nieces and nephews and could tell you where they were and what they were doing along with their children. She had fourteen nephews and ten nieces who enjoyed exchanging cards, phone calls and visits.
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Ruby Jo was an extraordinary women who was devoted to her family, friends, and neighbors. Like the lighthouses she collected, Ruby Jo brought immeasurable joy and light into the lives of others. Her legacy of love, integrity and service to those in need will always be an inspiration to all that had the good fortune and privilege of knowing her. She will be deeply missed.
Graveside services will be held at Riverside Cemetery at Byers, Texas, with a future celebration of her life. Dates are pending.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Samaritans Purse at the following link or to Byers CemeteryAssoc, 299 Mulberry Lane, Byers Texas 76357