Mary Ruby Fleenor
Mary Ruby Fleenor was a lifelong resident of Washington County. She was born on December 17, 1911 to Levi and Clara Isabelle (Belle) Knoy. Levi and Belle owned and operated a farm in Washington County near Beck's Mill. Ruby was the next to youngest child in a very large family. She had seven siblings, Gilbert, Frank, Elbert, Walt, Edith, Myrtle, and Bethel. Ruby and her brothers and sisters helped out on the farm and attended school. However, like many other young ladies living in a rural area in the early 1900s, Ruby was only able to attend school through eighth grade.
Ruby was a quiet and gentle young lady. Even though her formal education was limited, she was very intelligent. In her late twenties, Ruby met Elbert D. Fleenor at a social gathering she was attending with a friend. Elbert and one of his friends walked up to the two young ladies and struck up a conversation. Before long, Ruby would find herself dating one of these young men. However, it was not Elbert. He had actually asked her friend out, while Ruby had been asked out by Elbert's friend. After a period of time, Elbert realized he had the wrong girl. HE ended up falling in love with Ruby. The two would marry in 1941.
Elbert and Ruby lived on a farm in Washington County near the Muscatatuck River. Elbert had also grown up in Washington County, where his father, Clarence Fleenor, had been a school teacher for many years. Ruby was a housewife for many years and was a helping hand to Elbert on the farm. Elbert, who had gone to college to pursue agriculture, ran a successful farm. The two lived a quiet and happy life together. Ruby was a quiet soul, content to mostly remain on the farm. She also enjoyed the company of her family, including her niece and nephew and her brother's wife, June. Her sister Bethel's daughter, Sheila, spent a great deal of time with her, often hanging out on the farm or spending the night in their home. Sheila had a lot of respect for her quiet Aunt Ruby. "She was not high tempered like I am," Sheila recalls with a laugh.
Elbert and Ruby lived together on their farm until Elbert's death in 1978. Shortly after, unable to run the farm on her own, Ruby moved to a house on Mulberry Street in Salem. She then lived there for many years, continuing to attend Plattsburg United Methodist Church as she always had. Ruby remained in good health for many, many years. Finally, at the age of 92, she was moved into Salem Crossing Nursing Home, where she remained until her death on December 2, 2010. She had lived one night short of her 99th birthday.
Showing her generous spirit, Ruby made the decision before her death to leave a large portion of her estate to the Salem Community Schools in honor of her late husband and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Fleenor. The Mary Ruby Fleenor Fund through the Washington County Community Foundation will provide the school with money to help with purchasing educational materials and library books or helping to fund scholarships or the payment of teacher aids. Thanks to her generosity, the Mary Ruby Fleenor Fund will benefit students in the Salem School Corporation, FOREVER.
