Ruby M. Leffler

Ruby Mae Leffler, 89, of Thornville, Ohio, passed away on November 13, 2023 after a life well lived.

Ruby was born on May 22, 1934 in Pikeville, Kentucky to Arthur Charles and Jetta Biliter. As the oldest of five children, she was a lifelong matriarch, role-model, and caregiver. Her impact ran from her time teaching in a one room school-house in Kentucky, to her leadership at the Newark Air Force Base, to building Leffler Tax Service.

She and her first husband, Bill Stiltner, had five daughters, Charlene, Del, Shelia, Vickie, and Billie. Upon his death, she and her girls moved to Ohio. There she met Joe, who convinced her that he was the only one good enough for those girls. He was right. They married and for the next 54 years they spent their time building an amazing life with their family. They built “The Farm” which played host to uncountable family gatherings, holidays, and weddings. The life they made was full of love.

Ruby enjoyed working in her garden, planting flowers, bird-watching, and spoiling her grandchildren and great grandchildren. They were the light of her life and she was never happier than when her house was full of these children. She was also an amazing cook and if you ever left her house hungry it was, in her words, your own fault (but no one ever did).

She is survived by her loving husband, Joe “Pa” Leffler, her daughters Char (Dick) Krumlauf, Shelia (Larry) Gallagher, and Billie (Steve) Dearlove, her grandchildren, Kristin (Kip) Davis, Kevin (Shelli) Krumlauf, Shala (Erinn) Hankison, Kara (Greg) Gallagher, Jessica (Justin) Eveland, Amy (Scott) Helsel, William (Tress) Dameron, Nathan (Kirby) Dameron, Haley (Matt) Royer, Addie (Kevin) Whittier, Tel (Ashley) Dearlove, and Patrick Gallagher. Her great-grandchildren are Audrey, Ben, Brooks, Caylin, Chase, Ellie, Emma, Evelyn, Grace, Hayes, Hudson, Hunter, Jimmy, Karis, Keegan, Kiya, Morgan, Thomas, Tristan, Will Jr., Zane, and Zoë.

In addition to her parents, Ruby was predeceased by her siblings, J.T. Charles, Ruth Mary Potter, George Charles, and Gene Charles, and her daughters, Del (Buddy) Dameron and Vickie (Mike) Hawthorn.

Visitation hours will be held from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, November 16, at the Thornville Chapel of Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service, 56 South Main Street, Thornville.

A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 17, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Somerset, followed by lunch at South Shore Ministries (8335 Twp Rd 391, Thornville, Ohio).

Flowers are welcome or memorial contributions can be made to Thornville Food Pantry (P.O. Box 166, Thornville, Oh 43076).

Hoskinson Funeral & Cremation Service is honored to care for Ruby and her family.