Ruby Evans Mcalister

After numerous illnesses and hospitalizations, Ruby Evans McAlister went home to be with her Lord and Savior April 17, 2023. For the past 37 years she has made her home at the Bethea Retirement Community in Darlington, South Carolina where she enjoyed life and her community of friends. Born on August 4th, 1924, in Scranton South Carolina she was the daughter of Charlie and Kate Benton Evans. She grew up on the family farm along with her mother and father and seven brothers and sisters. Ruby’s mother died when she was a young girl. Her life was difficult after her mother’s death. She often spoke of her desire to go to school but found the responsibilities that she and her siblings had to assume caused her to miss many school days. Ruby valued education as a child and was determined to graduate from high school and accomplished her goals. Her desire for education was passed onto her children and their children. Ruby married Virgil Walker McAlister whose career was the Navy. She followed her husband and created a welcoming home wherever they lived. They put Christ first in their lives and the first order of business following each move was to find a church. Ruby sent Virgil off on a ship when necessary and cared for her children in places, which did not resemble Scranton. She lived in Chicago IL, Memphis TN, San Diego CA, Chula Vista CA, Oakland CA, Miramar CA, Agana Guam, Jacksonville FL, St. Augustine FL, Green Cove Springs FL, and Key West FL before returning to Columbia, SC to retire. Ruby was never idle. Her favorite past time was crochet. She made beautiful bedspreads, decorative pillows, afghans, and thousands of book markers which she gave to people who she met throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her husband Virgil McAlister, brothers Laverne Evans and Harry Evans and sisters Darnella Feagin, Eulalee McLeod, Gladys Flinn, Kathleen Evans, and Dorothy Sabo. She has two children, son, Donald (Brenda) Walker McAlister; daughter, Sandra McAlister (Sam) Ayers; granddaughter, Sonya McAlister; three grandsons, Scott McAlister, Kenneth Ayers, and Christopher Ayers; great-grandchildren, Walker Ayers, Thomas Ayers, Ashley Ayers, Olivia Ayers, and Caroline Ayers. Visitation for family and friends will be held at the Bethea Baptist Retirement Community Thursday, April 20, 2023 from 6:30-7:30 PM. Her funeral will be held in the chapel at Bethea Retirement Community [157 Home Ave. Darlington, SC 29532] at 2PM on Friday April 21. Entombment will follow at Mount Hope Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Bethea Retirement Community.