Ruby Craven Obituary

CRAVEN, Ruby DARLINGTON, S.C. - Dr. Ruby Mae Craven, 92, died Wednesday, July 12, 2006, at the Bethea Baptist Home in Darlington. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 15, at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 524 S. Ebenezer Road, in Florence. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion, directed by SMITH-COLLINS FUNERAL HOME OF MARION. Dr. Craven was born in the Friendship Community of Marion County, a daughter of Abraham Preston Craven and Martha Wylma Shelley Craven. She graduated from Winthrop College with a Bachelor of Science degree in home economics, from The University of Tennessee with a Master's degree in management of family resources. She held a fellowship at the University of Wisconsin to earn the PhD in Extension Administration. Dr. Craven taught in the public schools of S.C. for seven years and joined the Clemson Extension Service in 1941. She held Extension Service positions of assistant home economics agent, home economics agent, specialist in family resource management, district agent in the Savannah District and retired in 1976 as State Leader of Extension Home Economics, Emeritus. Among her numerous membership in local and professional organizations are: The American and SC Association of Family and Consumer Science, AAUW, National Association of Retired Federal Employees, Association of Winthrop Alumni, Association of Retired Clemson Extension Employees, Epsilon Sigma Phi, National Honorary Extension Fraternity, SC State Employees Association, The Nature Conservancy, National Trust for Historical Preservation, The Pee Dee Chapter of the SC Genealogical Society. Among her honors are The Mary Mildred Sullivan Award from Winthrop University, Distinguished Award from Clemson University, Cornerstone Award from the Association of Extension Home Economics, State Award for Retired Service by Epsilon Sigma Phi, Order of the Palmetto Award made by Gov. David Beasley, Susan B. McWhorter Outstanding Woman Professional Award from the Association of Women Professionals, Clemson Chapter. Dr. Craven was past president of the SC Home Economics Association, the president of the State President's Unit of the American Home Economics Association, president and treasurer of the Clemson Club of Winthrop Alumni, served on the boards of the Winthrop Alumni Association and the Winthrop Foundation and as executive secretary of the Association of Retired Clemson Extension Employees. Dr. Craven loved the natural areas of her state and had great enjoyment of Lake Hartwell on which she lived for 33 years and shared it with friends and family. Her other main hobby was published her two family histories. Dr. Craven was a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church of Florence, had served one term as Deacon in the Clemson First Baptist Church where she was a member of 40 years. She served as a teacher in the several churches of which she was a member during her lifetime. Surviving are three nephews, Kenneth Craven of Marion, Ashley (Jenks) Craven of Florence and Frank (Kay) Craven of Savannah, a niece, Martha Craven (David) Stackhouse of Marion. Also surviving are 16 great-nieces and nephews, Curtis (Connie) Johnson of North Myrtle Beach, Elizabeth Johnson and Daniel Mansy of Wheatin, Ill., Hubert (Joyce) Avant of Yemassee, S.C., Brenda Avant and Jimmy Bennett of James Island, Larry (Katherine) Avant of Johns Island, Angela Avant and Charles Chavis of Johns Island, John (Janice) Norton of Little Switzerland, N.C., Charles (Katherine) Norton of Lugoff, David (Kathleen) Norton of Rock Hill, Benji (Barbara) Norton of Irmo, Kasey (Amanda) Craven of Greenville, Freddie Webb of Florence, and Charles Stackhouse, David Stackhouse, II, Elizabeth Stackhouse and William Stackhouse, all of Marion. Also surviving are great-great-nieces and nephews and great-great-great-nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sisters, Odell Craven Utley and Lois Craven and her brothers, Leon Craven, Hal G. Craven and Auburn P. Craven. Memorials may be made to the Ruby Craven Endowed Scholarship Fund, c/o Winthrop University Foundation, 126 Tillman Hall, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, S.C. 29733 or to the Friendship Cemetery Fund, c/o Martha Taylor, 6107 Hwy. 9, Gresham, S.C. 29546. Visitation will be held Friday evening from 6:00 until 7:30 p.m. at the Bethae Baptist Home Chapel in Darlington. The family will also receive friends Saturday afternoon one hour prior to the service of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Florence and following the committal service at Rose Hill Cemetery in Marion. Visit our guestbook at www.charleston.net/deaths.