Ruby Lamm Barnes

Ruby Lamm Barnes January 4, 1923 – December 22, 2019 Ruby went to her heavenly home peacefully on Sunday, December 22, 2019 at the Kitty Askins Hospice Center in Goldsboro. Her memorial service will be held at the Elm City Methodist Church, 106 N Parker Street, Elm City at 2pm, Saturday January 4, 2019. A visitation will precede the service and be held at 1pm at the church. Friends and family are invited to meet at her home, 210 N Railroad St. Elm City after the service. She was born in Bailey on June 4, 1923. When she was a teenager, Ruby spent a summer in Elm City babysitting for her sister Lola Mayo. A local boy kept riding his bicycle by the house and they caught each other’s eye and met. When asked, Ruby would say that she was going to marry Warren Barnes from Elm City. They were married in November 1950 and spent their life together in Elm City. Ruby graduated from Bailey High School in 1941. Twelfth grade was added that year and Ruby elected to attend the extra year. Ruby entered the Training School for Nurses at Carolina General Hospital in Wilson and graduated on November 8, 1945. She received her Certification as a Registered Nurse on April 17, 1945. After graduation Ruby worked at various positions at Carolina General Hospital advancing to Head Nurse of the 3rd floor. When Wilson Memorial Hospital opened Ruby was transferred as Head Nurse of 3rd Floor where she was affectionately known as “Sarge”. Ruby was very devoted to her family and helped many of her siblings when needed. Ruby retired in 1991.When her beloved husband passed on June 20, 1990 Ruby did volunteer work at Wilson Memorial Hospital and in her spare time enjoyed knitting, crocheting, tatting, needlepoint, quilting, fishing and yard work. Being very social Ruby spent many mornings at the Bojangles on Parkwood Blvd and playing Canasta at the Senior Citizens Center. Ruby spent most of her later years at Spring Arbor in Wilson and Eagle Point in Goldsboro where she was much loved. Ruby enjoyed getting out well into her 90s and would have lunch at the K&W in Wilson where she became a fixture. She would frequently be recognized from her work at the hospital and be asked “weren’t you a nurse at the hospital” and she would reply that she is “still a nurse but thinking it’s getting time to retire”. Ruby was preceded in death by her father, Benjamin Franklin Lamm and her mother, Patty Patterson Lamm; husband, Warren S. Barnes; sisters, Lola Lamm Mayo, Eula Lamm Fulghum, Easterbelle Lamm Batten, Lettie-Blanch Lamm and Lucille Lamm Wilkerson and her brothers, Williard Lamm and Benjamin Lamm. Survivors include her son, Benjamin Franklin Barnes of Elm City; daughter, Marsha Barnes Smith of Wilson and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and great-great nieces and great-great nephews. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Kitty Askins Hospice Center, 107 Handley Park Court, Goldsboro, North Carolina 27534, Elm City United Methodist Church, PO Box 307, Elm City North Carolina 27822 or the Breast Cancer Society, 920 Wellness Drive, Greensville, North Carolina 27834. Condolences may be directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home at www.joyners.net.