Rubye Lee (Norman) Sherrod

Rubye Lee (Norman) Sherrod was born on September 1, 1935, in Altheimer, Arkansas to Ruby Lee and Galatian Norman, Sr.. When Rubye retired at age 65, we learned of an error on her birth certificate. The midwife recorded August 31 instead of the actual date Rubye entered the world. Since age 65, we celebrated Rubye’s birth on both days.

Rubye accepted Christ at an early age at the local Church of Christ.  After graduating high school, she and her family migrated north to Chicago, Illinois. There, she attended cosmetology school and taught Sunday School.  It was during a church picnic when she was reunited with her childhood sweetheart.  She was serving homemade ice cream when Arthur Sherrod followed the dripping cones inside the unfamiliar church. Jackie and Arthur were married on June 11, 1955.  To that union, five children were born: Arthur Eugene, Carl Edward, Edmond Darnell, Julius Tyrone, and Toya Renee.

Rubye was a true entrepreneur.  She worked several jobs to help raise her growing family.  Throughout her life, she owned a beauty salon, worked at the US Post Office, owned a restaurant and later a Standard Oil Station (with Arthur).  She was a successful Real Estate Agent, and she employed the neighborhood kids at the various Churches Fried Chicken restaurants she managed.

Rubye was the ultimate caregiver.  When her oldest son became seriously ill at age 12, she became a medical technician where he was hospitalized. When her parents could no longer afford to live in their apartment, she bought the house across the street and placed her parents in our former home.  She paid their bills for the remainder of their lives.  When her parents became ill, she became a telemarketer so that she could work from home and take care of them. When her daughter entered high school, she worked for a local finance office to learn how to best pay for college. Having divorced Arthur in 1975, it is even more incredible that Rubye accomplished the above as a single mother.

Rubye departed this life on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, at Memorial Hospital in Shiloh, Illinois, at the age of eighty-seven. Preceding her in death are both parents, her brothers, Charlie and Galatian (Jr.) Norman, her son, Arthur Eugene Sherrod, former husband/friend, Arthur Sherrod, her sister, Evellia Johnson, and two beloved nephews.  Surviving Rubye are her children, Carl Sherrod Sr., Darnell Sherrod, Tony Sherrod Sr., and Toya (Jourdan) Sarpy; Six grandsons: Antwain Sherrod, Carl Sherrod Jr., Tony Sherrod Jr., Jourdan Sarpy Jr., Nicholai (Abby) Sarpy, and Isaiah (Aubrey) Sarpy; Seven great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins. She also held a special place in her heart for Jarmese Sherrod, Jameka Sherrod, Marilyn Delara, and Florene Freeman, whom she considered daughters.

Thank you, God, for sending us an earthly angel.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rubye Lee (Norman) Sherrod, please visit our floral store.