Ruby Bryant will be celebrating 100 years with her church Sept. 20.

By TAMI MOHLER

GOSHEN — Ruby Bryant, Goshen, recently celebrated her 100th birthday at a large family gathering in Goshen on Sunday, Aug. 23. Her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren honored her with a carry-in meal with some of the favorite family foods. Many family activities were enjoyed by all.

In addition, there will be an all-church 100th celebration by the West Goshen Church of the Brethren on Sunday, Sept. 20. The church will honor two centenarians, long-time church members, Ruby Bryant and John Aschliman. An open house is planned from 12:30-3 p.m. in the West Wing of the church.    

She was born Ruby Evelyn Deafenbaugh in Claypool on Aug. 24, 1915 and graduated in 1933 from Manchester High School, North Manchester. 

She married Kenneth M. Bryant on April 24, 1937, in Warsaw. Before moving to Goshen in 1943, they lived in Wabash. They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary before he died shortly thereafter on July 3, 2012. 

Together, they had six children, as follows: Loretta and Nathan Eshelman, Lutz, Fla., Rita Lockerbie and Cindy and Jim Tyson, both of Goshen, Timothy and Barbara Bryant, Jackson, Tenn., Todd and Angie Bryant, Princeton, Tami and Chuck Mohler, Syracuse and the late Connie and Ralph Lockerbie. She is grandmother to 22 grandchildren and great-grandmother to 31 great-grandchildren and great-great-grandmother to one great-great-granddaughter.

Among Mrs. Bryant’s interests and life-long hobbies have been; cooking, sewing and quilting for her family, including many winning entries at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. She has enjoyed being in many local clubs in Goshen as well as many years as a camp counselor at Camp Mack in Milford. 

She has a passion for gardening, and still has a small garden from which she cans and freezes vegetables for the winter.  She has done much community volunteering, and has had numerous roles as a long-time active member in the West Goshen Church of the Brethren. She has spent some of her time at the family lake cottage on Waubee Lake in Milford for the past 58 years.