AlexSandra Lett "Lett's Set a Spell"

Mama's Last Curtain Call

Ruby Turner Knight grew up on a tobacco farm in Harnett County, the dutiful daughter of Alex and Mary Yarborough Knight. She worked hard in the kitchen and in the fields, made good grades at school and became a beautiful young woman. Ruby starred in the senior play, Deacon Dubbs, at Boone Trail High School, where she portrayed Trixie Coleman, a "full of mischief" character. Ruby placed the program describing the play's three acts in a scrapbook.

Marriage photo (1942)

This scrapbook captures the first act of Ruby's life. It contains graduation cards, faded pictures, newspaper articles announcing Ruby's marriage to Pvt. P.D. “Bud” Lett and the death of her father, and romantic postcards from Bud as he served his country in far-away lands.

After Bud returned from World War II, Ruby began the second act of her life as a wife, mother, and partner on the family farm in the Lee County community of Buckhorn. The couple had three young'uns: Jimmy, Carolyn, and me. Mama joyfully worked 60 hours a week—she cooked three meals a day; gathered vegetables and fruits; shelled peas, snapped beans, peeled apples, and shucked corn until her fingers were sore; blanched and canned produce until the kitchen was hot as an oven; and worked side by side with Daddy to harvest crops and raise animals.

Mama, Ruby K. Knight, with young'uns (photo taken in 1951)

Mama attended quilting bees with the ladies in the community and sewed clothes for Carolyn and me. She served as a grade mother at Broadway School, made pies for the teachers, and helped us with our homework. She became the leading lady at Moore Union Christian Church, where she volunteered as secretary-treasurer for 45 years, directed the annual Christmas program, sang in the choir, and counseled the ministers. She was admired in her home, church, and community as a woman who got things done.

Mama’s first-born Jimmy married and brought his wife Sharon to live with us. Later, Carolyn wed Pete McNeill, moved back home while he was in Vietnam, and eventually settled in Broadway. When I went to college, Mama sent me half the money she was paid each week for keeping Billy, her first grandchild.

Anniversary photo

At age 62, Mama and Daddy retired from growing tobacco and other crops. In this third act, they kept busy with their garden pickin's, fruit trees, berry bushes, and pecans. Meanwhile, grandchildren married, had babies, and moved nearby, so the house bustled with family gatherings. Life was full of activity until two years ago, when Mama and Daddy started preparing for the last curtain call. For a while they took care of each other, but eventually we family members started staying with them and then hired caregivers who came to love Mama and Daddy.

After Daddy died 10 months ago, Mama could not thrive without the love of her life—she could not bear living without looking into Daddy’s twinkling brown eyes and without hugging him every day. Mama began to fade away, and on Sunday, June 5, 2005 she died in their bedroom, maybe from a stroke—but more likely from a broken heart.

Mama took her last bow Wednesday, June 8, in a funeral fit for a queen at Moore Union Christian Church. Two ministers gave her rave reviews and other folks lavished praise on the little woman with a big heart...a leader who always gave generously to her family and community. Mama was watching, holding hands with Daddy as they star together in a new drama of everlasting love and life.