Ruth Etta Howrey's Obituary
Ruth Etta Combs entered this world at the break of dawn the morning of May 9, 1929, to Elmer and Fern (Frantz) Combs and the sun set on her life on December 6, 2022, at age 93. She was born north of Oakland on the family farm on the banks of the Embarrass River and in the shadow of the Antioch Separate Baptist church where the family regularly attended services. Ruth attended local schools and graduated from Oakland High School in 1947. After school, she moved to Mattoon for work but soon met the love of her life, Jack Howrey, at a dance in Newman. Jack, being Jack, introduced himself with the alias, 'Jack Jones'. Months after they met and traveling in Jack's 1939 Ford, they eloped to Morristown, Tennessee and were married on March 18, 1950 by the Justice of the Peace. They returned to settle in Hindsboro for 41 event filled years as well-known stalwarts of the community; albeit hard not to be well-known when you are raising four boys in a town of 400 people.
After working at various light manufacturing jobs, Ruth found her passion driving a school bus for the Manning Bus Service on a rural Arcola school route and answered to her CB call sign, "Little Bit". Along the way and while raising her Boys, Jack and Ruth operated Howrey's Grocery in 'downtown' Hindsboro in the mid-60s. They both attended all the Howrey boy's games with Ruth being a very 'vocal' supporter from the sidelines. After the store was sold, Ruth become a waitress fixture at the Truck Stop in Tuscola for 16 years before they both retired to a new home in Charleston in 1991.
Throughout the decades Ruth was known for the large Howrey Holiday family meals she prepared (with little help from the Boys...) and was especially known for her delicious apple pies and her secret homemade noodles (the recipe has only been verbally passed on to one person, her granddaughter Alex). Jack and Ruth also traveled to see their sons across the country and enjoyed their numerus Caribbean and European cruises. After retirement, they wintered in Destin Florida for many years joining the other Snowbirds from the Midwest and Canada.
Ruth was preceded in death by Jack after 64 years of marriage as well as her parents, Elmer and Fern, and siblings, Ellis, Francis, Marion, Ellen, Floyd, Jewel and Elwood. She set the Combs family 'record' for longevity. Surviving are their four sons, six grandchildren and one great grandchild, Dave (Kim) Howrey of Dallas, TX and their son Brandon (fiancé Shannon Byrne), also of Dallas; Dan (Janice Moore) of Dallas, TX and their daughter Alex; Robert (Jani) Howrey of Paris and their daughter Alicia (Alen) Planincic and son, Ari, Calgary, Canada; and Roger of Roswell, GA and sons Nick, Nate and Andrew. The family would also like to recognize brother-in-law Mick Howrey of Charleston, IL. Fortunately, the family and friends threw Ruth a 'surprise' 90th Birthday party in 2019 and we are so glad we did. It was truly a special day and one we will cherish forever.
Visitation will be held December 27th from 12 Noon to 1 PM followed by the Funeral Service at 1 PM at Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston. Burial will follow at Roselawn Cemetery in Charleston next to her beloved husband for eternity.
The family would like to send a very personal thanks to her good friend, Lanie Jolley Melton, for her unswerving devotion to mom these past few years. In addition, a thank you to Arbor Rose as well as the Brookstone Estates staff who made mom welcome and comfortable in her final years.
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