Ruby Alyne Martin
- Pruitt
Zirana.com 1/23/2009
Ruby Alyne Martin-Pruitt,
99, of McAlester, died Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, at a local nursing
home.
Ruby A. Martin-Pruitt was born November 7, 1909 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas
to Russell and Cora (Moore) Pope. In 1918, Ruby and her family moved
to Oklahoma City. Rubys mother and stepfather, Tom Spears started
a café near the State Capital. The Café was locally well
known for southern style food such as tall biscuits, beans, cornbread
and homemade pies. The whole family worked in the café.
While working there, Ruby met the love of her life, Johnnie Martin.
They became sweethearts and married on November 9, 1927 in Oklahoma
City and moved to Houston, Texas.
John Martin was an up and coming baseball player. In Oklahoma City he
grew up playing sand lot baseball. He then played baseball at Guthrie
and Ft. Smith, Arkansas. While at Ft. Smith, Johnnie was given the nickname
Pepper.
Soon after playing with the Houston ball club, Johnnie was sent to the
St. Louis Cardinals. He became a nationally known baseball player for
the St. Louis Cardinals for 12 years. He was known as Pepper Martin,
Wild horse of the Osage.
After his career at St. Louis, he managed and coached baseball teams
across the United States. He was at Rochester, NY, Sacramento, San Diego,
Greenville, SC, Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Chicago Cubs,
Macon, GA and Des Moines, Iowa. The last few years of his life he coached
the Tulsa Oilers club and assisted with the broadcasting of the baseball
games.
In 1946, Ruby and Johnnie moved from Oklahoma City to their beloved
ranch near Quinton, Oklahoma. Throughout their entire married life together
they were constant companions as they raised their family and pursued
Johnnies baseball career. Johnnie Pepper Martin died in
1965.
Ruby had many interests. She and Johnnie were active in the First Baptist
Church at Quinton and Blocker. They helped start Blocker Baptist Church.
Ruby was a Sunday school teacher for most of her adult life. Ruby later
married O.A. Pruitt and after his death, she lived in McAlester for
the remainder of her life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnny Pepper
Martin, mother, Cora (Moore) Pope Spears, father, Russell Pope, 2 brothers,
Olin and Preston Pope, 2 sisters, Gladys Pope and Lucille Copeland,
granddaughter, Denise Pearce and great-granddaughter, Lauren Nicole
Foor.
Survivors include 3 Daughters and Sons-in-law: Alyne and Allen Cherry
of Denton, TX, Jenny and Charles Weathersby of Quinton, OK, and Alice
and Burl Eakle of Krebs, OK; 8 Grandchildren and Spouses: Sally and
Gary Brown of Aubrey, TX, Ginger and Larry Tucker of Royce City, TX,
Gina and John Fraley of Corsicana, TX, Zachary Weathersby of Abilene,
TX, Jan and Ben Baley of Hico, TX, Matthew and Lynn Weathersby of Azel,
TX, Patrick and Teresa Foor of Oklahoma City, OK, and Cora Akin of Reno,
NV; Great-Grandchildren: Shayne Pearce, Sara Brown, Troy Tucker, Zachary
Weathersby, Daniel Martin Weathersby, Geoffrey Weathersby, Blayne and
Courtney Baley, Samuel Martin Weathersby, Nathan Thomas Weathersby,
Ashlie Nicole Foor, John Erich Foor, Kyle Martin Foor, Katlyn Marie
Foor, John Patrick Akin and Charles Blake Akin; 2 Nieces: Ann Perry
of Tulsa, OK, and Betty Sue and David Springer of Oklahoma City, OK,
and 2 Great-Nephews: Chad Perry and Scott PerryFamily will greet friends
on Sunday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Brumley-Mills Funeral Home, McAlester.Funeral
services will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 26, 2009, atFirst Baptist
Church, McAlester with Rev Ken Gassaway and Rev. Eddie Dye. Burial will
be at Quinton City Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are under the direction
of Brumley-Mills Funeral Home of McAlester.Pallbearers will be Spec
Little, Dub Brown, J.A. Allford, Glen Stone and W.C. Wallace.
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