Ruby Frances Hodge was born in Healdton, Carter, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of four children born to Willis Franklin Hodge and Julia Ann (Pruitt) Hodge. In 1937, the Hodge family moved to Gage, New Mexico, where her father worked for the El Paso Natural Gas Company. Ruby graduated from Deming High School in 1944. She worked at the Deming air base during WWII as a chauffeur in the motor pool and as a secretary for the officer's pool. She married Robert Edward Hubbard, Jr. in Douglas, Cochise, Arizona on August 4, 1945. They lived on the U-Bar Ranch in Dog Springs, near Animas, New Mexico when they got married. They later moved into town. Three sons were born in Deming. They moved around while R.E. was working construction. Their fourth son was born in Tuba City, Arizona. Their only daughter was born in Crane, Texas. The family settled in Hayden and then Winkelman, Arizona about 1959, after living in Tucson. The family took many camping and fishing trips. They had many barbecues. R.E. loved grilling and making his own BBQ sauce. Ruby and R.E. loved bowling, as did the whole family. Ruby worked for a while at Forrest Parker's Grocery, later at the A & A Chevrolet office. She was working as a secretary for Holmes & Narver when R.E. died in 1969. She and the two youngest children moved back to Deming after his death. Her mother and siblings were still living in Deming. There she worked for Farmers Mimbres Valley Inc. as their secretary. She married Ike Kennedy in 1971. He worked for Farmers Mimbres Valley Pure Seed. Ruby later worked as the secretary for the Luna County Road Dept. until her retirement. Ruby liked getting together with the family for fishing trips. Her mother (Grandma Julie) would come along sometimes. Grandma Julie loved to fish, too. Some of Ruby's later fishing trips were to Bill Williams Lake in New Mexico and the San Carlos Lake in Arizona. She enjoyed catching Crappie. She and Ike would can and freeze seasonal vegetables grown locally in Deming: green chile, okra, green beans, and black-eyed peas to name a few. Family members usually helped with this tradition, even picking the vegetables at the nearby farms. Ruby made the best green chili salsa, red chili meat burritos and chile rellenos. She also made two family favorites, chicken and dumplings, and biscuits with sausage gravy. She and Ike were both very good at cooking beans. The grandchildren loved the gloves, caps, and shawls that she knitted for them. She knitted many afghans. Some she worked on with her mother and daughter. Her last project was making quilts for all of her children and grandchildren. We will always remember all the love that she put into these special gifts.
***** Bio by Linda (Barnby) Hubbard*****
Click on photos to enlarge & to view the captions.
***** Bio by Linda (Barnby) Hubbard*****
Click on photos to enlarge & to view the captions.
Ruby Frances Hodge was born in Healdton, Carter, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of four children born to Willis Franklin Hodge and Julia Ann (Pruitt) Hodge. In 1937, the Hodge family moved to Gage, New Mexico, where her father worked for the El Paso Natural Gas Company. Ruby graduated from Deming High School in 1944. She worked at the Deming air base during WWII as a chauffeur in the motor pool and as a secretary for the officer's pool. She married Robert Edward Hubbard, Jr. in Douglas, Cochise, Arizona on August 4, 1945. They lived on the U-Bar Ranch in Dog Springs, near Animas, New Mexico when they got married. They later moved into town. Three sons were born in Deming. They moved around while R.E. was working construction. Their fourth son was born in Tuba City, Arizona. Their only daughter was born in Crane, Texas. The family settled in Hayden and then Winkelman, Arizona about 1959, after living in Tucson. The family took many camping and fishing trips. They had many barbecues. R.E. loved grilling and making his own BBQ sauce. Ruby and R.E. loved bowling, as did the whole family. Ruby worked for a while at Forrest Parker's Grocery, later at the A & A Chevrolet office. She was working as a secretary for Holmes & Narver when R.E. died in 1969. She and the two youngest children moved back to Deming after his death. Her mother and siblings were still living in Deming. There she worked for Farmers Mimbres Valley Inc. as their secretary. She married Ike Kennedy in 1971. He worked for Farmers Mimbres Valley Pure Seed. Ruby later worked as the secretary for the Luna County Road Dept. until her retirement. Ruby liked getting together with the family for fishing trips. Her mother (Grandma Julie) would come along sometimes. Grandma Julie loved to fish, too. Some of Ruby's later fishing trips were to Bill Williams Lake in New Mexico and the San Carlos Lake in Arizona. She enjoyed catching Crappie. She and Ike would can and freeze seasonal vegetables grown locally in Deming: green chile, okra, green beans, and black-eyed peas to name a few. Family members usually helped with this tradition, even picking the vegetables at the nearby farms. Ruby made the best green chili salsa, red chili meat burritos and chile rellenos. She also made two family favorites, chicken and dumplings, and biscuits with sausage gravy. She and Ike were both very good at cooking beans. The grandchildren loved the gloves, caps, and shawls that she knitted for them. She knitted many afghans. Some she worked on with her mother and daughter. Her last project was making quilts for all of her children and grandchildren. We will always remember all the love that she put into these special gifts.
***** Bio by Linda (Barnby) Hubbard*****
Click on photos to enlarge & to view the captions.
***** Bio by Linda (Barnby) Hubbard*****
Click on photos to enlarge & to view the captions.
