Leader Publications

Born: July 20, 1924

Died: Oct. 16, 2012

Ruby Elizabeth Samples, 88, of Niles, died at 7:55 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, at her home following a brief illness.

She was born on July 20, 1924, at Nappanee, Ind., to Phineas and Elizabeth

(Anderson) Miller. She graduated from the Indiana School for the Deaf, earned a bachelor’s degree from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and her master’s degree from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind.

She was employed by the South Bend Community School Corporation for 25 years, teaching at Maple Lane School and Eggleston School. Ruby was a former member of the Church of Christ in Niles and the Orange Avenue Church of Christ in Eustis, Fla. She was also a member of the Silent Neighbors of Lake County, Fla.

Her greatest interest was caring for her family. On Aug. 9, 1948, in Wakarusa, Ind., she married Dewey N. Samples, with whom she celebrated the 44th anniversary of their wedding prior to his death on Aug. 24, 1992. They were also preceded in death by an infant son, Brian Samples; grandsons Dustin Samples and Dewey Samples; and by six brothers and sisters of Ruby.

Surviving family includes their children, Dave (Uraiwan) Samples of Somerset, Ky., Donna (Carl) Newman of Niles, Dennis (Cindy) Samples of Niles, and James (Sandra) Samples of Altoona, Fla.; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Ruby Samples will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Mr. Darren Morris of Nashville, Tenn.,  officiating and sign language interpretation by Linda Grubbs. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Mishawaka, Ind.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.