Ruby Eleanor Eastland Sears

Ruby E. Eastland Sears Ruby Eleanor Eastland Sears, 84, of West Des Moines, Iowa, died Friday, July 11, 2003, in Reston, Va., of cancer. The memorial service will be at 10 a.m. CDT Friday at Plymouth Congregational Church in Des Moines, Iowa. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. CDT Thursday at Dunn's Funeral Home in Des Moines (515-244-2121). Memorial contributions may be made to Plymouth Congregational Church, 4126 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312, or Hospice of Northern Virginia, Loudon Clinical Office, 209 Gibson St. NW, Suite 202, Leesburg, VA 20176. Mrs. Sears was born in Winthrop, Minn., and moved to Spencer, Iowa, and then to Davenport, Iowa, with her eight siblings and her parents in the 1930s. She was married 63 years to Jay Harold Sears of Davenport. Jay and Ruby moved to the Des Moines area 30 years ago. She was active in many local groups, including PEO, Des Moines Symphony, Questers, Des Moines Country Club, Outing Club in Davenport, Rotary Ann's, several bridge clubs, Gourmet Club and Gwen's Groupies. She was also a member of Plymouth Congregational Church. Ruby was awarded "Mother of Every Year" by her children. She lived as she died: with dignity. She is survived by three daughters, Linda "Lyn" Sears Parks (and husband Bob) of Miami, Wendy Sears Williams (and husband Gary) of Tallahassee and Tory Sears Haberlen of Atlanta; three sons, Allen Sears of Reston, Greg Sears of Norfolk, Neb., and Tom Sears of Davenport; 16 grandchildren, including Emily Williams, Blair Williams, Megan Williams and Melaine Williams, all of Tallahassee, and Gabrielle D'Alemberte and Josh D'Alemberte, both of Miami; and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, J. Harold, in 2002, and her great-grandson Alex in 1999.