Ruby Beck

Ruby Warren Beck was born October 19, 1923 in Holt Alabama to the late Rufus and Sallie Warren. She was the youngest of eight children. Ruby knew Christ Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She attended public school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and graduated from Industrial High School. She moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1941, and continued her education at Lewis Business College. Ruby married Willie Lee Franklin in 1948. To that union was born Willie Erwin Stanley Franklin (Rashid Hakim). She had a second son, Bruce Franklin, in 1955. Ruby later married Noah Beck in 1974. She retired from the Detroit Board of Education in 1985, as a Food Service Manager. Ruby was best known for her love of family and community. She was passion­ate about both. She often stated, “I love working with people that want to make a difference”. She received numerous awards and certificates for her involvement in the community. She was an active participant in the early political struggles for Civil and Women’s rights. She was an active member of the Barton McFarlane Neighborhood Association (BMNA) since 1987. She served on the Properties & Beautification Committee, Banquet Finance committee, Radio Patrol and was a member of the 2nd Precinct Police Com­munity Council. Ruby served on the Board of Directors for the BMNA until her health prohibited it. She participated in the Angel’s Night Volunteer Cam­paign and was a Community Ambassador under the administration of Gover­nor Jennifer Granholm. Ruby also served on the Michigan Board of Election from 1943 until 2005, and was a member of the National Black Caucus on Aging since 1992.

Ruby was small in stature but carried a big stick. She was know to have strong opinions and was always ready to defend them. She enjoyed the arts, movies, sports events, music and was an avid fisherwoman in her younger years. Ruby had a great sense of humor, and loved to laugh.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Rufus and Sallie Warren, husband Noah Beck, son Willie Franklin, four brothers, Nathan Warren, Charlie War­ren, Edward Jones, an un-named baby boy, and two sisters, Rosa Lee Warren and Annie Lee Payne. Ruby had a rapid decline of her health beginning in the Fall of 2012. Although she did not have the activity of all of her limbs in the months leading up to her death, she was blessed with a sound mind until the last few weeks. She often stated, “I trust God, it’s going to be okay.” She was called home on Wednesday, January 23, 2013, at 1:15 A.M. Her son Bruce and daughter in law, Robbi, were at her side. In addition to them, she leaves to cherish her memory, her sister Lillian Johnson, Chicago, Illinois, grand daughter Lakeisha Urquhart (Delrick), New Orleans, Louisiana, great grand son Delrick Urquhart Jr., New Orleans, Louisiana, many generations of rela­tives and a host of friends.