Obituary: Ruby Esther Cheney has died at age 106

Ruby was born on Easter morning, April 8, 1909, in a cabin 15 miles from Eads, Colo. She attended a one-room schoolhouse while growing up. She married Ezra Craig Kerfoot on May 20, 1925. From that union, there were six children: Ernie, Russell, Juanita, Mae, Leroy and Yvonne. Ezra died unexpectedly in his 40s. On Dec. 21, 1946, Ruby married Claude Cyril Cheney. They had two children, Carolyn Cheryl and Cindy Lou. At times during their marriage, they lived in Lamar, Swink and Rye, but most of the time in Fort Collins.

Claude was a school teacher and Ruby was the homemaker. They enjoyed a rural, farm life with a few animals, chickens, and always a prolific garden. In fact, Ruby won Grand Champion gardener at the county fair. Ruby enjoyed family life very much and there was always much laughter and teasing in the house. She always worked very hard to make holidays very special and memorable. She would be known to sneak peaks in her Christmas packages, so our wrapping became very creative.

Another thing she loved was fishing. She would always try to catch the biggest one. She caught various things besides fish, including a nearby boat, a turtle, a near fisherman and trees. If the fish was getting away, she would jump in after it.
Claude and Ruby traveled every summer with the family and had visited every state in the U.S. She continued on her own and made it to several overseas locations, including the Holy Land, which was a very special trip to her.

Ruby was very religious and was baptized in Lamar as a young adult. She attended church and made sure her children attended Sunday school and church. She always had high expectations of her children and wanted them to do their best.

Ruby was quite an artist and painted oil pictures, free-painted ceramics, crocheted, and sewed clothing for her children.

Because of her outstanding age of 106, she has outlived all her siblings except her brother Clyde Sanders of Wiley. She also outlived all but four of her children: Cindy Ferree of Limon; Carolyn Vickers of Wiggins; Mae Fritzner of Traverse City, Mich., and Yvonne Torrez of Loveland. Ruby has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren across the U.S.

Ruby was preceded in death by her father, Leslie McKay Sanders, and her mother, Ivy May Sanders (Wedkind), both from Kentucky.

For the last few years, Carla Cluster Care in Limon has been Ruby’s home and many special people have helped her there.

A graveside service was held for Ruby at the Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Memorials may be sent to Carla’s Cluster Care NE Campus, P.O. Box 39, Limon, Colo., 80828.

The Love Funeral Home of Limon, Colorado was in charge of arrangements. Please visit our website at www.lovefuneralhomes.com to sign our online guest book or to send the family your message of condolence.