Ruby Arloene Sherman, 101, passed away peacefully at her home at 12:40 p.m. Thursday September 30, 2021.

Born on September 6. 1920, in Smith Twp., Whitley County, Indiana, she was a daughter of the late Harry L. and Ethel (Shively) Jagger. The family moved to Thorncreek Twp. when Ruby turned ten. The oldest of seven children, as a youth she attended a one-room school, learned to milk a cow at age five, helped with farm chores, and weeded onion fields in the summers. She attended Columbia City High School and was the last surviving graduate of the class of 1938. She held several domestic jobs while in high school and worked at her Aunt Jenny's restaurant, where she once waited on her famous relative, actor Dean Jagger.

On October 12, 1940, she married George Russell Sherman. They lived in Columbia City for a brief time, moving to various locations in Smith and Thorncreek Townships before settling in 1949 on the farm in Thorncreek where Ruby continued to live until her passing. The couple's life was filled with Little League, 4-H, gardening, and church activities as they raised their four children. Together they grew many vegetables on their farm into their early eighties and generously shared their abundant produce with family and friends. Ruby was an excellent seamstress and superb cook, with specialties like her yeast rolls, strawberry jam, black raspberry pie, and sweet pickles being family favorites.

Ruby's employment included Gross's Grocery Store in Arcola, where she met her husband, and General Electric in Fort Wayne during World War II. In Columbia City, Ruby's workplaces, as she often noted, took her right up Whitley Street from Blue Bell to Linville Hospital and lastly Columbia City High School where she worked in the cafeteria until retiring in 1985. An avid supporter of her lifelong community, Ruby served as a 4-H Leader for Thorncreek Township and was recently recognized for 75 years of Whitley County Extension Homemakers club work, even attending her club's latest meeting in September. Russell and Ruby became season ticket holders for the high school basketball games in the forties and Ruby continued to loyally attend both the home boys and girls games each year, including a game at the new school last season. She also attended the Whitley County Distinguished Young Women Contest each year since its inception in 1964.

Most central to Ruby's life has been her family and faith community. She joined the Blue River Church of the Brethren in 1931 and became a charter member of the Columbia City Church of the Brethren in 1961. She was a lifetime deaconess and also assumed many leadership roles in the Women's Fellowship, where she could still be found this past summer sewing cancer pads at a monthly meeting. She served as a children's Sunday School teacher and superintendent and in many other capacities. Ruby enjoyed attending with her husband and more recently her daughter's family the denomination's Annual Conference gatherings held throughout the United States and served as a delegate for several years. Ruby had been in all fifty states as well as many European countries. She also traveled to Australia and New Zealand and at age ninety visited her grandson and his family in Singapore. She relished her trips to see family, especially enjoying her grandchildren and their activities. As the matriarch of her extended Jagger families, she took an active interest in their many involvements and loved being a part of their lives.

She is survived by three sons, L. Kent (Judy) Sherman of Clarkesville, GA, Brian R. (Josephine) Sherman of Waynetown, and Randall Sherman of Fort Wayne; a daughter, Rebecca (David) Felix of Indianapolis; seven grandchildren, Brian (Luanne) Sherman, Greg (Katie)Sherman, Kellie Sherman, Nathan Felix, Jason (Sarah)Sherman, Benjamin (Allison Caldwell) Felix and Katie Felix; seven great-grandchildren; two sisters, Ardith (Ray) Cormany and Ellen (Matthew) Henney both of Columbia City; and an extended family that includes many nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Additionally, she was preceded in death by brothers Clee and Guy Jagger and two sisters, JoAnn Prater and Marjorie Mowrey.

The funeral service is 10 a.m. Saturday, October 9, 2021 at the Columbia City Church of the Brethren, 112 N Washington St.  Burial is at the Blue River Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City and 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Masks are required and social distancing encouraged. The service may also be viewed at Smith and Sons Facebook page as well as the Columbia City Church of the Brethren Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Columbia City Church of the Brethren, the Whitley County Community Foundation earmarked for the Sherman Education Fund, or Whitley County 4-H Inc.

The family would like to thank Ruby's caring neighbors George Handlin, Brian Kyler, Roger Mullins, and Tony Sheckler who helped make it possible for her to live on her beloved farm in her later years.