Ruby Ellen (Simpson) Lewis

Ruby Ellen Lewis, 82, of Moscow Mills, Missouri, passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at her home.

She was born October 12, 1937 in Waterloo, Iowa.

Preceded into death by her parents George & Marvel (Murty) Simpson,

Married Jerry E. Lewis December 18, 1971.

Children: David (Kathleen) Lewis, Wentzville, MO & Cheryl (Mark) Vincent, Greenfield, IN.

Children by Marriage: Wayne (Lynn) Lewis, Maysville, MO, Sherry (Max) Evans, Kingston, MO, and Sally (Rex) Stretch, Cameron, MO.

Grandchildren: Diana (Brandon) Bennett, Ian (Kristen) Lewis, Kiley (Melissa) Klein, Elizabeth Vincent,  Julie, Becky, Matt and Mike Lewis, Jesse (Jessie) Sprague, Jessica (John) Howard, Emily (Paul) Dematteo, Jeff (Joanna) Stretch, Joe (Shannon) Stretch.

Great Grandchildren: Braden, Jackson, Ethan and Brooklynn Bennett, Emma and Colten Lewis, Jace, Logan, Isabelle and Avalyn Sprague, Alaina and Emma Howard, Remy and Avi Dematteo, Elisa and Kelsa Stretch, and Mae Stretch.

Siblings Mae Condon, Estherville, IA and Loren Simpson, Ames, IA.

(Written by granddaughter Elizabeth Vincent)

Grandma was a fighter. She was stubborn and hard-headed and a force to be reckoned with. She was a patriot, a Daughter of the American Revolution, and she dedicated her retirement to tracing our family lines, making care packages for soldiers overseas, and making beautiful, creative, quilts for NICU babies, dog rescues, other charities, and all of our family. 

When she was young, she walked away from an unsafe marriage with two little children to make a better life for them and for herself. She made her way up the corporate ladder as a badass businesswoman in the original “man’s world” and was a single mother until she found Papa, the most fun, loving, and selfless man I’ve ever known. He knew she liked him because she wore pants to dinner on the first date and a skirt to bowling on the second. 

My early memories are filled with square dance campouts, dancing all day, and singing around the campfire at night. My Papa telling stories, tall tales, and jokes, and my Grandma laughing as she’d chastise him, saying “oh Jerry stop it.”  One of my other favorite things to do with her was to play cards. We’d play a game called Pepper, which I always explain to people is like bid euchre but so much better because your partner just gives you their best card. Grandma was probably the most competitive card player out of all of us, which was both hilarious and unfortunate because my Papa always won.

She never backed down, even when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer twelve years ago and was given less than a few years to live, she fought like hell to beat it, even going in for more chemo when the COVID crisis started and the rest of the world was sheltering in place. She fought as hard as she could, as long as she could. I was fortunate enough to see her one last time before going into quarantine, and it was one of the most entertaining conversations we’ve ever had.

So here’s to Grandma, for showing us how to love and how to fight, to laugh all day and dance all night, to fiercely protect those we love, and to keep on going even when things are rough. Your legacy will live on in all of us.

Due to circumstances of the day no services will be held, but a future celebration of Ruby Lewis’ life will be held at a future date.

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