Ruby Starbuck

Biography

Ruby Lee Hayes Starbuck, 94, formerly of Willard, one of Ohio’s first school counselors, died Tuesday, July 1 in West Liberty, Ohio. She was the wife of the late Joseph “Doc” Starbuck, longtime Willard optometrist.

Born in 1919, nine months before women gained the right to vote, Ruby’s family moved from rural Tennessee to Akron, Ohio, where she quickly discovered how to get to the library on city buses. After attending Asbury College and graduating from Kent State University in 1941, Ruby spent World War II in supply offices in Texas and New York sorting soldiers’ clothing.

Moving to Willard, Ohio, Starbuck began teaching junior high social studies. The students benefited from all she learned seeing the United States on summer family camping trips. When Ohio Required schools to provide counseling professionals, she was asked to complete a master’s degree (Bowling Green State University, 1964) and spent the next 20 years advising students in Willard High School. Upon retiring in 1983, she expanded her travel adventures with trips abroad, including visiting China when it first opened to the west in the 1980’s.

During her time in Willard, Starbuck was active in Grace United Methodist Church on the Administrative Council and as Missions Chairperson. She was a member of the East Ohio Methodist Annual Conference, the Good News Movement, and the United Methodist Women. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma International Society, a professional honorary society of women educators, the Ohio Education Association and the Retired Teachers Associations for Huron County and the State of Ohio. She was also active in the Willard Reach Club.

After moving to West Liberty, Ohio, in 2001, she became a member of the West Liberty United Methodist Church, an e-mail and internet user, President of the Fortnightly Club, organizer of the Green Hills arts festival caravan, a member of the local Garden Club, and “Great Baboo” to her six great grandchildren, Joe, Ellie, Erin and Daniel Young, and Zoe and Aiden Smith. She also leaves two daughters, Becky Bailey, Terre Haute, OH, and Beth Starbuck (Del Swanson) of Lakeville, MN; three grandchildren, Bobbie (Matt) Young, of Bellefontaine, OH, Martha (Eric) Smith, of Springfield, OH, and Luke (Niki) Bailey of Conover, OH.

A family graveside service was held in Akron, Ohio. Her family thanks friends for their support and requests that in lieu of flowers any memorials in Ruby’s honor be given to the Dr. Joseph B. and Ruby Hayes Starbuck Scholarship Fund at Asbury Theological Seminary, 204 N. Lexington Ave, Wilmore, Kentucky.

The staff of the Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home in West Liberty, Ohio handled the arrangements for the family.