THOMPSONVILLE – Ruby Marie Arview, age 83, of Thompsonville, IL, passed away peacefully at home with her daughter, Molly, and holding the hand of her high school sweetheart and beloved husband of 65 years, Joe Arview.
Ruby was born July 28, 1942, in Olney, IL to Harold and Anna (Powers) Bowen. She was a graduate of T.C.H.S. where she met her husband, Joe. She was a lifelong learner and also graduated from John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University. Ruby was known for her remarkable memory, keen mind for numbers, and intelligence. She worked as a teacher, a secretary, and the bookkeeper of many Arview family businesses throughout the years, and was the Arview family historian, maintaining an extensive record of the Arview family tree.
Ruby was a faithful member of the Thompsonville Church of God and served as the church treasurer for many years, only recently retiring. Over the years, she also served as a Sunday School teacher, played the piano on the praise team, and assisted with the ladies ministry.
Ruby will always be remembered for loving Jesus most of all and loving people well. She had a love for reading and studying the Bible and began each day in prayer and reading the Word. Our family, church family, and anyone that knew her, knew that she was the one you would go to for scriptures of encouragement, prayer, and for wise counsel. She was a pillar of strength to her family, her pastors, her friends, and her church family. Ruby was a true Proverbs 31 woman of God, and loved being a wife and mother. Her family knows, without a doubt, that her fervent prayers helped all of her children find their faith and give their lives to serving Jesus.
Joe and Ruby built a beautiful life together on the West Frankfort New Lake filled with love, laughter, and of course, music. She enjoyed cooking for her husband and family, and her kids and grandkids know they could never top grandma’s recipes. In her final years, she loved spending time enjoying her flower garden with her sister and best friend Joan, and absolutely adored watching her grandchildren play.
Ruby is survived by her husband, Joe; daughters, Shelia Reyling and Molly (Fred) Waggoner; sons, Joe (Dee) Arview II and Tim (Tawnya) Arview; brother, William Bowen; and sister, Joan Moore. Her great joy in life was becoming a grandmother. Her legacy continues through 23 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Ruby was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers, Gene and Jerry Bowen.
Services will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at the Union Funeral Home in West Frankfort at 2 p.m. with Pastor Brian Mixon officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.