Ruby Moore Myre, 92, of Paducah, KY passed away at 5:32 p.m. on Friday May 29, 2020 at Southgate Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Metropolis, IL. She was born on November 28, 1927, to Floyd Allen Moore and Debbie Lillian Clapp Moore in rural Graves County, west of Mayfield between Fancy Farm and old Dublin. In addition to the Moore and Clapp ancestry, she was descended from the Kirby and Reynolds lines of Graves County.
As a child, Ruby attended nearby Salem school. Later, she attended St. Jerome High School in Fancy Farm, where she received an excellent high school education from the Catholic nuns. As well, her mother Debbie and her aunt Verdie were determined that Ruby learn proper diction at home. While attending St. Jerome, she became a cheerleader, later graduating as valedictorian around 1946.
After high school, Ruby moved to Paducah, where she attended Paducah Junior College, while working at Owen Cleaners. During this era, she learned to play tennis, as well as going out to local nightspots with friends, including the Twinkling Star. Her career goal was to become a medical technologist. Ruby moved to St. Louis in the late 1940s for further study at the City Hospital. After successfully completing training, Ruby returned to Paducah around 1950 to work as a medical technologist at Riverside Hospital. She later became head medical technologist in the lab.
While working and living in Paducah, Ruby’s poise and beauty attracted many suitors. Her hand was won in 1953 by Dr. William W. Myre, who had recently returned to the practice of anesthesiology at Riverside, after having been called up for Naval service in the Korean War.
After marriage, Ruby retired from working at Riverside. However, in the early stages of her first pregnancy, Ruby was called out of retirement during the atomic plant boom times in Paducah for a temporary but important project. She was asked to design and set up the pathology lab of a new hospital under construction, named Western Baptist Hospital, as she was the only resource in Paducah with up to date training. After completing this commitment, Ruby retired to become a housewife and mother in early 1954.
During the 1960s, Ruby raised four children. Ruby was active in Charity League, Four Seasons Garden Club, and Medical Auxiliary. One particularly demanding project was to construct a fifteen foot cardboard replica of the Eiffel Tower for a Charity League Follies skit around 1964. Ruby also took up golf, playing on local courses with her friends and entering a few local tournaments in western Kentucky. Her quest for the best hair stylist and appointment time was ongoing, leading her into friendly competition with her sisters-in-law, Carol and Jane.
Ruby was a long time member of First Baptist Church, Paducah. After the death of her husband, William, in 1981, Ruby lived a retired life, studying and investing in stocks. As well through the 1980s into the 1990s, Ruby took care of her elderly mother and her uncle, Lewis Clapp before they passed away, making almost daily trips to Mayfield. She also helped care for her husband’s aunt, Mary Marshall.
Ruby was preceded in death by her husband, William Walter Myre and her son, Christopher Dale Myre, her parents, Debbie Lillian Clapp Moore and Floyd Allen Moore, her uncle, Lewis Clapp, and her brother, James Alonzo Moore. She is survived by her son, William Walter Myre, Jr., of Austin, Texas, her daughters Debbie Elizabeth Myre, and companion, Doug Fiser, of Columbia, Missouri, and Ann Myre and husband, Scott Embry, of Paducah, Kentucky, and her daughter-in-law, Martha Myre, of Dallas, Texas. She is also survived by her three grandchildren, Amanda Myre and husband, Todd MacDermid, of Seattle, Washington, Rachel Myre, of Los Angles, California, and Christopher Myre, of Dallas, Texas, and two great-grandchildren, Ada Grace MacDermid and Robert MacDermid, of Seattle, Washington.
Graveside services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at Mt. Kenton Cemetery with Rev. Russ Wilson and William Myre, Jr. officiating.
Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at Milner & Orr Funeral Home of Paducah.
In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to the First Baptist Church of Paducah, 2890 Broadway, Paducah, KY 42001.
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