Ruby Wright Hurst, 101, of Cleveland, Tennessee, passed away Saturday, June 25, 2016 at a local health care facility.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Grady Hurst; her son, Don Hurst; her parents, Olaf and Martha Wright; brothers Wilson, Charles, and Edmond Wright; and sisters, Jewel (Liles) and Bessie (Tayes).
Ruby grew up in Lawrence County, TN. During the depression, she and her sister Jewel earned money by singing gospel duets in churches and revival meetings and teaching gospel music. Ruby later enrolled in Vaughn’s School of Music where she met Grady Hurst. They married and moved to Chattanooga where they performed with the “Word of God Quartet” at the North Chattanooga Church of God. Afterwards, they joined the staff of Lee College, where Ruby taught piano and music theory. While teaching at Lee, Ruby completed her BA degree in Music from the University of Chattanooga and her MA from Illinois Wesleyan University. After retiring from Lee, she taught private piano lessons for many years.
She is survived by her daughter, Joy Hurst of Newark, CA; grandsons, Lloyd and Leonard Stinson; and great-grandchildren, Raymond and Elly Mills.
A funeral service will be held Wednesday, June 29, at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Grissom-Serenity Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Sunset Memory Gardens.
The family will receive friends, Tuesday, June 28, from 5- 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Grissom-Serenity Funeral Home has charge of the arrangements.