Ruby Edith Landry

               Reflections of a Lifetime
Ruby Edith Allen was born on May 24, 1924. Ruby was the daughter of the late Julius Allen and Theresa “Kate” Berteaux of New Orleans, Louisiana. Ruby was the eighth of 11 children. Ruby was born and spent her early years in New Orleans and spent summers in Darrowville at her grandmother’s farm.

After the death of her Mother, a young Ruby lived with her elder sister Vivian. As a teen she relocated to New York City to live with her Aunt Alice. Ruby graduated from Haaren High School in the New York City educational system. After her graduation she was directly hired at Random House Publishing until she had her son.
While living with her Aunt Alice, Ruby and her younger sister Thelma would volunteer for the USO and explore the big City of New York.
During World War 2, while volunteering at the USO, with her sister Thelma. A young Ruby met and fell in love with a Sailor, Herbert Landry. Through their many visits their relationship grew into love.
They young couple married and lived in Harlem, during the Renaissance. Famous Musician Thelonious Monk was her neighbor and he wrote “Ruby My Dear” for her. Upon the birth of their son Herbert Jr., they relocated to Staten Island, NY in 1947.
The young mother worked, at Broadway Cleaners wanting to work close to home. When Doctor’s Hospital was opening, she seized the opportunity for a change in career. Ruby was one of the original employees of Doctor’s Hospital and remained until it’s closing. She started as Certified Nurses Aid, and advanced her career to Central Supply Technician and then Manager. Ruby, was well known and loved at Doctor’s Hospital.
While working at Doctor’s Hospital, she made a lifelong friend Angelina Winters “Angie”. Angie and Ruby were like Thelma and Louise and could be seen everywhere together for over 50 years. At the age of 100, Angie passed earlier this year so the ladies are back together again. Ruby was a jovial, strong, confident, woman. She was loved and she loved unconditionally. To know her was to love her. She was a lady, in every sense of the word.

Ruby was well known by the neighbors through her avid gardening she was known as Ms. Ruby. Ms. Ruby was the longest living resident of Davis Avenue between Henderson and Castleton Avenues living there for 72 years. To quote one of the neighbors “What a wonderful caring loving person. One of the people I met when I moved in here, she watched our boys grow up and out, always stopped to talk and chat making everything seem right with the world.” This sentiment was echoed by many of the neighbors.
She was a loving a nurturing Mother, a dedicated loving grandmother and a phenomenal sister and aunt. She was an unwavering and compassionate friend.
Ruby was an active member of St, Mary’s Episcopal Church when her young family moved to Staten Island. She was a founding member of the St. Mary’s Women Guild, and a foster parent to twins. In later years, Ruby attended Pentecostal Faith Church of God Inc. Ruby was blessed to have a loving marriage for over 40 years until his passing in 1987.

Ruby loved to travel after she retired, and her frequent Travel Companion Carol Coli shared many vacations and they attended the theater regularly in Manhattan. Ruby passed time with reading, gardening, shopping, traveling, dancing as well as cooking for her family and friends. Her family was the most important thing to her. Ruby shared a special relationship with her nephew Alvin, they spoke weekly, and Alvin never failed to make special visits from New Orleans to New York just to make his Aunt happy several times a year.
Ruby was called home on October 23, 2019. She was preceded in death by her parents Julius and Theresa Allen, husband Herbert M. Landry Sr.; by her brothers Earl, Walter, Clifford, Emmet, and Russell; by her sisters: Lillian, Vivian, Marjorie, and Thelma.
She leaves to celebrate her life her only son Herbert Landry Jr., her daughter in law, Marilyn Landry, grandchildren Shawn and Rahsaan Landry, her sister, Laura Allen, 3 great grandsons, nieces, nephews and friends.

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