Mary Helen Ruby

Mary Helen Ruby, age 72, of Mankato entered into eternal life on Sunday, March 26, 2017 surrounded by her family at Mayo Clinic Health Care System in Mankato.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 1, 2017 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Mankato with Rev. John Kunz officiating.  Visitation will be held from 4 - 7 p.m. on Friday, March 31, 2017 at Northview - North Mankato Mortuary.  Visitation continues one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.

Mary Helen was born in Mason City, Iowa, on August 9, 1944 to Clifford and Lillian Humphrey.  She graduated in 1962 from St. Joseph's Academy in Des Moines, IA. Following that she worked as an assistant for Dr. Charles Johnson. She married David Ruby in 1968, and moved to Mankato; they later divorced.  Mary was employed by the Social Security Administration for 31 years until her retirement in 2010.  She was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and in years past directed the choir at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church.

Mary always had a passion for music and dancing, and in previous years, she belonged to the Sweet Adeline’s, an organization of women singers, where she was an assistant director and choreographer. Her continued interests included her grandchildren, knitting, sewing, gambling and traveling, specifically to New York and Las Vegas. 

Mary is survived by her two children, Virginia/Ginger (Tom) Leiferman, Jason (Christine) Ruby; her two grandchildren, Ryan and Jack Leiferman; one brother, Dr. Charles Humphrey of Shoreview, MN and two sisters, Elaine Lumbard of Urbandale, IA and Jean (Mike) Fitzpatrick of Des Moines, IA. She was preceded in death by her parents.