Ruby Edna Simmons Janes, age 96, our “Mama” and “Nana”, peacefully passed into her heavenly home on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 in High Springs FL. Ruby was born on August 9, 1923 in Archer, Florida to Joe and Ella Simmons and was a lifetime resident of Alachua County. She was born into a farming family that raised tobacco, okra & watermelons in the area near Archer still know today as “Peach Orchard”. She worked the fields with her family and helped haul the crops to the train loading platform in Archer. In the 9 decades of her life she experienced everything from living without electricity and indoor plumbing, which wasn’t available to them until 1935, to getting a party-line telephone and finally a cell phone and a computer. She was always amazed at the number of changes she had seen in her lifetime.
She graduated from Archer High School where she became part of a group of forever friends referred to as the “Archer Girls”; Erline Lindsey, Agnes Sparks, Norma Mattair, Jeanne Hartman, Louise Fitzpatrick and Nell Pritchett. Many enjoyable trips and social gatherings were enjoyed over the span of some eighty plus years of friendship.
After graduating from Archer High School, she went to work at the local wartime Rationing Office where she met and later married her husband C. Howell Janes in 1946. During their 49 years of marriage they owned and operated Green’s Fuel Gas Company and Gator Ceramics in Gainesville. Ruby also worked for the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and the Alachua County Property Appraiser.
She enjoyed spending her time doing various crafts but she especially loved flowers and enjoyed working in her yard keeping things beautiful for everyone to enjoy. She was a long-time member of the Gainesville Camelia Society, the Gainesville Orchid Society and the Begonia Circle of the Gainesville Garden Club. She and Howell enjoyed spending summers at their mountain home in Franklin N.C. and traveling. She had an unending love of everything chocolate and being with her family. Following in her family’s footsteps she was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Archer.
Ruby was preceded in death by her father and mother Joe and Ella Simmons, her husband Howell, her brother Joe Wheeler Simmons, and step-son Jack Janes. She is survived by her son Gene (Carol) of Newport TN, daughters Betty Handley (Kenny Waters) of Trenton FL and Rita Weichert (Brad) of Satsuma FL, son Chet Janes Jr. (Edie) of Clearwater FL, daughter Margaret Gillen of DeLand FL, daughter-in-law Krys Janes of Hawthorne FL, 12 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Ruby’s feisty spirit, love of life and caring ways will be missed by all.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Plantation Oaks, High Springs and Vitas Hospice for the kindness and loving care that they provided to Ruby.
There will be a Celebration of Life Service at 2:00 p.m. Saturday February 22, 2020 at the First Baptist Church of Archer. The family will receive friends at the Church one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Florida Baptist Children’s Home online at fbchomes.org or mailed to P.O. Box 8190, Lakeland FL 33802.
Arrangements are under the care of MILAM FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICES 311 South main St. Gainesville, FL. (352) 376-5361 www.milamfh.com
