Ruby Nell Been Davis

Profile Updated: December 24, 2009
Ruby Nell Been
Class Year: 1937
Residing In: TX USA
Occupation: Retired
Children: Sydna, born September 18, 1939
Julia Nell (Judy) Born November 18, 1942
Comments:

I graduated from Carbon High School in 1937 as Veledictorian. I went to college for one year, then married and moved to Elgin. I have been a widow since 1979 and have stayed in Elgin. I had throat cancer in 1996 and had a laryngectomy so can only speak with a Servox and do not do that very well. But it has not slowed me down in some ways. I have always loved to write history and helped write the Elgin Centennial Book in 1972, have written other articles that have been published. I have done a 297 page of genealogy for 13 of my family lines, and have done a lot of Davis genealogy. I not only collect the date and names of the people, I collect stories that tell just what their personalities were. I have written church history. Now I write a quote early in the morning and send to family and friends. The list keeps growing as they pass it on to others. I belong to the Elgin Historical Association and help with some of the things at the Elgin Museum. Since i have had a laryngectomy I belong to WebWhispers, a group of people who have had that surgery. It is a world wide membership. We share information, encouragement, and help for others who have that problem. Eventhough I am 89 years old, I stay very busy and enjoy life regardless of handicaps. I got to travel a lot since Judy worked for an airline for a number of years. I have been to Rome and was blessed by the Pope along with 25,000 other people and the next day prayed at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. I have been to England, Scotland and Ireland, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Hong Kong, and all 50 of the United States.

School Story:

I would like to know how many of my graduating class are still alive. We were there during the Great Depression so had to make do on less than students have to now. I remember that we had the outside toilets that were away from the school building. The Carbon water did not taste very good. I remember the dust storms that we had and I rode the school bus to school. My hair was dark and when the dust was gray looking, by the time we got to school it looked gray. I remember the big heaters that were in the rooms and sometimes the other side of the room would be cold.

Do you still have family in the Carbon area?

Not anymore. My family lived out near Long Branch and I owned a farm out there until I sold it in the 1990s. My children and grandchildren would go and spend the weekends there at times. I have a cousin that lives in Eastland, Mary Elizabeth Been Ragland. My parents are buried in the Carbon Cemetery.

How old do you feel?

At times I feel my age, 89, but I still enjoy life regardless of a handicap.

What are your favorite places to go?

Right now I am happy to stay at home. I have been so many places that I enjoyed visiting, but now I am happy in my own room. In 1996, becasue of health and wealth, neither of which was good, I sold my home and Judy asked me to live with her. We get along real well, both have a sence of humor.

What is the title of the last book you read?

It is titled "EMILY'S GHOST" , A Novel of the Bronte Sisters. The author is Denise Giardina. It a new book that was just published this year.





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