RUBY LEE ABRONS

RUBY LEE ABRONS, a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away on Friday, November 6, 2026, at O’Neill Healthcare Lakewood in Ohio. She was 95 years old. Born on April 1, 1931, in Oxford, Mississippi, Ruby was the daughter of Jesse and Josie Carruthers and was also raised by her stepmother, Mattie Carruthers.

Ruby made Cleveland, Ohio, her home and became a dedicated resident and advocate for the Ward 10 community, in the East 140th Street area. She attended nursing school and worked at Hillcrest Hospital Systems (which later integrated into the Cleveland Clinic Health System) as a scrub technician in the surgical department until her retirement in 1996.

Ruby was a changemaker, a fighter for those whose voices might otherwise go unheard, and a tireless champion for improving the lives of others. She was instrumental in establishing a neighborhood garden that brought fresh produce to residents of Cleveland’s East Side. Refusing to take no for an answer, she challenged local government agencies, helped secure grant funding, and advocated to allowed students from John Carroll University to manage the garden’s day-to-day operations.

Her commitment to the community received recognition from Cleveland Mayor Jackson, who honored her as one of Cleveland’s Senior Citizens of the Year for Ward 10. For Ruby, however, service was not about recognition; it was about seeing a need and taking action. 

Her commitment to making a difference also found expression through her church, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, under the previous leadership of Dr. Otis Moss Sr, and current leadership of Reverend Doctor Jawanza K. Colvin. Her involvement in community organizations included the East 140th Street Block Club, the Triangle Club, and the 5th District Police Safety Committee. Wherever she saw an opportunity to advocate for others, Ruby offered her voice and her energy.

Even after moving to O’Neill Healthcare Lakewood, Ruby’s advocacy continued. She remained deeply concerned with the well-being of fellow residents and encouraged improvements from a patient’s point of view. As the family remembers her: “Once a nurse, always a nurse.”

Ruby was preceded in death by her parents, Jesse and Josie Carruthers; her brothers Jasper Carruthers of Indianapolis, Indiana; David Carruthers of Oxford, Mississippi; Norris Carruthers of Memphis, Tennessee; Abb Carruthers of Muskegon, Michigan; Jessie Carruthers, Byron Carruthers and her sister, Verdie Moore of Oxford, Mississippi. Ruby was the last surviving sibling of eight children.

Ruby leaves to cherish her memory a host of loving nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends, as well as the many people whose lives were touched by her compassion, persistence, and service.

A life of service. A voice for others. A legacy of change.

* Service and Interment will be conducted privately, in a spirit of profound love and remembrance.