Ruby Cagle
Ruby Ellen Abbott Cagle, of Jasper, died on Sunday, November 18, 2018, in a Chattanooga health care facility.
The daughter of the late Winton B. and Marion McCaslin Abbott, Ruby was born and spent the first 16 years of her life in Winslow, Maine. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, Ruby and her mother moved to Pearl Harbor to be with her father who had left Maine a year earlier to work as a mechanic on the base there. Shortly after their move, she applied for a job as a secretary and thanks to her exceptional memory and performance during the interview process, she was asked to be a confidential secretary for Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.
Ruby’s mother, who worked as a truck driver on the island, returned to their home one day excited to tell her about a nice young mechanic she worked with named Berton Cagle. Ms. Abbott thought he “hung the moon.” Soon, Ruby thought the same, and she and Berton became inseparable - spending their days off riding around the island. They fell in love and were married in October of 1945, a month after the Japanese surrendered.
Following the war, Ruby, Berton, and Ruby’s mother moved back to Berton’s hometown of Jasper, Tn. Ruby worked for the Tennessee Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant and supported her husband’s career in public service. Following her husband’s death in 2008 and a stroke she suffered during surgery a few years later, she spent the remaining years of her life at Life Care Center of Hixson where she was often visited by family, friends, and individuals who sought her out to pay tribute to her service during World War II.
Though she was unable to attend, Mrs. Cagle was honored recently by the local chapter of Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge. Sons Ben and Danny were at the event.
Survivors include her sons, Ben (Jayne) Cagle, of Chattanooga, Danny Cagle, of Jasper and Michael Cagle, of Kimball; grandchildren, Michelle Raulston, of Kimball, Dannette Steele and Ruby McDougal, both of Jasper, Tricia Hinshaw, of Asheville, NC and Michael Cagle, Jr., of Cookeville, Tn.; eight great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.
A private graveside funeral service was held at Sequatchie Valley Memorial Gardens in Jasper.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Freedoms Foundation, Chattanooga Chapter, P.O. Box 21443, Chattanooga, TN 37424-0443.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.RogersFuneralHome.com.
Arrangements are by the Jasper Chapel of Rogers Funeral Home, 21 East 5th Street, Jasper, 423 942-2682.