Ella Ruth Brown Nabors (8-29-11) services 9-3-11

Ella Ruth Brown Nabors, daughter of Dewey Dixon and Myrtle Anna Tucker Brown, was born May 24, 1924, in Hardin County, Tenn. She departed this life on Aug. 29, at the age of 87 at Riverwick Assisted Living in Savannah.

On May 5, 1947, she was united in marriage to Leon Tracy Nabors Sr. and together shared 48 years before his passing on June 1, 1995.

After her high school graduation, she went to Memphis, where she got a job with Kress’ 5 & 10 Cent Store and studied at Draughon’s Business School. During WWII, because of the shortage of teachers, she received a call back to her community of Big Ivy in Hardin County. After two years she returned to Memphis working first in the Taystee Bread Company office. Then she made another move that produced a tremendous change in her life. Ruth applied and was accepted for the office position at Dixie Greyhound Lines. While working with Greyhound she met one of their employees, Leon Nabors. Leon was a bus driver who was widowed and the father of a four year-old son, Leon Jr. They were married at the Presbyterian Church in Holly Springs, Miss. After the honeymoon, it was back to work, but company policy would not permit both to work at Greyhound. For a short time, Ruth stayed at home. Then she went back to the business world working first for a finance company, then the wholesale meat business. Then some men organized Central Meat Company and offered her a job in their office. She worked in that office for about 18 years until the company closed.

After another short stay at home, Ruth worked for the Dixie Greyhound Federal Credit Union, where she worked until she retired on May 27, 1998.

Ruth has always said, "Greyhound employees have always been special, like a family," and she said, "Greyhound has been my life!"

Mrs. Nabors lived most of her life in Shelby County in Memphis and Collierville, Tenn. She was active member of Central Church since 1947. From 1954 to 1981 she served as Sunday school secretary and treasurer. From 1960 to 1999, she was active in the Georgia Harris Missionary Circle serving in various offices until it disbanded in 1999. She has always helped with cooking, visiting and homebound, delivered flowers to the hospitalized and home bound and working the nursery. One of her favorite activities was visiting with shut-ins and did this until the time came that she was unable to do that.

Those family members who continue to her loving memory include step grandchildren, James Tracy Nabors and wife Christy of Collierville, Tenn., Amy Nabors Brackett and husband Kevin of Goose Creek (Charleston), S.C.; Step great grandchildren: Nathan, Austin, Preston Nabors, Collierville, Tenn., Taylor, Isabella, and Andrew Brackett of Goose Creek (Charleston), S.C.; four brothers; James Edward Brown, The Woodlands, Texas, Billy Otis Brown, Florence, Ala., George Dixon Brown, Jackson, Tenn., Robert Earl Brown, Cordova, Tenn.; three sisters; Mary Jo Brown Johnson, Bettye Jane Brown Miller, both of Savannah and Wanda Kay Brown Calvert, Jackson, Tenn.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Leon Nabors Sr., Step-Son Leon Nabors Jr. and one brother Warren Gaston Brown.

Funeral services for Mrs. Nabors will be Saturday, Sept. 3, at 2 p.m., at the Memphis Funeral Home on Poplar.