Ruby Syrene Tollett Hughes
Ruby Syrene (Tollett) Hughes, 99, of Crossville, passed away Sunday, April 10, 2011 at Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville.
She was born October 28, 1911, in Bledsoe County, the youngest daughter of the late Mose and Candace Ann (Patton) Tollett. Hughes attended Stoney Point School through the seventh grade, and graduated high school as salutatorian at John F. Patton High School. She received her teaching degree from Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville.
She married Paul Hill Hughes in 1936. They lived for a number of years in Van Nuys, California, returning to Crossville after World War II. She was a teacher in the Cumberland County School system for 35 years, teaching at Beaver Hill, Meridian, Homestead, City School and Cumberland Elementary schools. She had been a member of Central Baptist Church since its inception and she always enjoyed Sunday school and the dedicated interesting teacher.
Hughes was an avid maker of quilts, making numerous quilts from piecing to quilting. She was a member of 127 South Senior Citizens and quilted with a group of fellow quilters for many years, donating all monies raised to the senior center. She loved to garden, can and mow the grass.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Hill Hughes; brothers, John Wesley Tollett, Casto Tollett, and Carl Tollett; sisters, Ann Swafford and Ruth Brown.
She is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Wallace Hill and Shirley Hughes; daughter and son-in-law, Mary Evelyn and Bill Cooper all of Crossville; grandchildren, Brad Cooper and Mark Cooper both of Knoxville, and Lee Ann Roberts of Crossville; great-grandchildren, Lili, Hannah and Nathan Cooper and Tyler and Payton Roberts.
Funeral services were held in the funeral home chapel April 13 with Bro. Roland Smith officiating. Interment was in Crossville City Cemetery.
Serving as pallbearers were Brad Cooper, Mark Cooper, Ted Swafford, Donald Peck, Jack Cooper, Tony Roberts. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Central Baptist Church Library, 1346 South Main Street, Crossville, TN 38555.
Arrangements were made by Bilbrey Funeral Home, Inc. of Crossville.
