RUBY PAULINE BUKSA

1932 - 2023

Ruby Pauline (Aubrey) Buksa passed away peacefully in her home on May 17, 2023, in Columbia, California. She was born on Feb. 16, 1932, to Raymond and Clara (Whitworth) Aubrey in Bogata, Texas. She was the third of five children. Her mother passed away from tuberculosis when Ruby was just 5. Her father remarried to Fanny Martin, who had five children of her own. Together, they had a daughter, Mary, in 1940. In approximately 1947, the merged families moved to California.
Ruby took many jobs as a young lady, such as babysitting, house cleaning and married Anthony Buksa in Watsonville, California. They had two children, Eric and Annette. She worked in many establishments in Watsonville, namely Carol's Drive In, The Royal Grille, and the Elk's Club where she worked closely with her lifelong friend Rose Holly. She moved to Fresno, California, in the late 1970s, where for years she managed a restaurant and bar named The Checkmates. It was owned by Bob Flores, brother of Tom Flores, the Oakland Raiders head coach. She lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, for several years, then in Sonora and Jamestown, California, and eventually to Columbia, California, with her partner Jerry Doschure, who passed away in 2017.
Ruby is survived by her son, Eric, and his wife, Victoria Buksa; daughter, Annette Buksa; sister, Mary (Les) Giannini; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Ruby was a unique, strong, spirited, direct, witty and loving woman. She was self described as stubborn and rightly so. She will be greatly missed. She was the last of the original five Aubrey children and outlived all of her step-siblings.
A celebration of life will be hosted from 1 to 5 p.m., Aug. 26, at the Club House of the Columbia Sky Mobile Home Park, 10956 Green Street, Columbia, California. For more information, please contact Eric Buksa at (408) 968-5100.