Ruby was the daughter of William and Evie Eley. She grew up on the family farm near Unionville, TN and was the oldest of nine children. Whe met her future husband, Thomas Ralph Snell, during her senior year of high school, where she and Rlph graduated in 1930, she as the valedictorian and he as the salutatorian. Ralph and Ruby both began college at David Lipscomb in Nashville, but with tight finances and an emergency appendectomy in her first year, Ruby returned home to become a school teacher. She taught all eight grades, first in a two-room school and later in a one room school. She rode to school each day in a horse-drawn Hoover cart. On the colest winter dayd, her father would heat a large rock in the fireplace and wrap it in burlap so Ruby could keep her feet warm during her trip to school.
Ruby and Ralph married in Nashville on April 22, 1934 after Ralph graduated from Lipscomb. Ralph accepted a preaching job in Tallahassee,, but the church soon lacked the money to support a preacher, so Ralph took Tuby back to Bedford County. There Ruby made a home while Ralph taught school and took temporary preaching assignments as he had the opportunity.
In 1940, the Snells meved to Gainesboro, TN, where Ralph continued to preach. During this time they welcomed the births of their first five children, all girls(Jewel, Joy, Joan, Jan, Jell). In 1947, they all moved to Florence, AL to help establish mars Hill Bible School. The family continued to grow with the addition of Tommy, Jerelyn, Kenneth, David and Jonathan, 10 in all.
Along with his work at Mars Hill, Ralph held preaching positions at several churches of Christ in the Muscle Shoals area, including East Florence, New Hope, Central Heights, Sherrod Avenue, and River Road. As Ruby raised their ten children, she also taught Sunday school and ladies' clesses in the churches. Additionally, she served as one of the founding members of the Associated Women's Organization to help raise funds for Mars Hill.
Ruby was truly a help to Ralph in his work, and after the children were grown whe traveled with him when he spoke at evangelistic meeetings. She even went with him on a mission trip to Aftica. In 1975, the Snells moved to Indianapolis for a year to begin a Christian school there. After 47 happy years of marriage to Ruby, Ralph died on April 2, 1982.
After losing her husband, Ruby continued her life of service to her family and to the Lord. She became a member of the Mars Hill Church of Christ where she taught ladies' classes, sent hundreds of encouragement cards to the sich and bereaved and prepared dishes for church members. She continued volunteering at Mars Hill and later joined the women's support organization at Heritage Christian University. In addition to her many works of wervice, Ruby enjoyed several hobbies including sewing, needlework, traveling and birdwatching. She was an accomplished author and artist, and especiall loved gathering and pressing all kinds of flowers to create beautiful works of art.
Ruby Snell was called "Mama" by her children and 'Granny' by her 34 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren. She served as 'Teacher' to hundreds of other children and 'Mentor' to scores of women. She beautifully filled the roles of godly wife and loving mother and has left a legacy of faith for future generations.

Taken funeral program, entered by Reva Staggs, niece