Obituary

Ruby Knight, age 99, passed away on January 13, 2025 in Black Mountain, NC.

Ruby Jones Knight was born on March 27, 1925 to Dorothy Whitmire Jones and John Paul Jones of Canton, NC. The family resided in Canton where Ruby’s father worked at Champion Paper Mill and her mother stayed home to raise children and tend their small farm. Ruby graduated from Blanton’s Business College in Asheville and worked as an Executive Secretary at Champion. While there, she met Edward H. Knight, a new pharmacist in town. She married Ed (“Doc” Knight) soon after and enjoyed that partnership for 54 years until the love of her life passed away in 1999.

Ruby is survived by her son Edward H. Knight, Jr. “Chip” (Carolyn) of Black Mountain, NC and her daughter Ann Knight Ashley (Matt) of Montreat, NC, three grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. Ruby was the oldest of five and is survived by three siblings: Helen Jones Burch of Clyde, NC; Coleen Jones Howery of Newton, NC; and Locke Jones of Canton, NC. Ruby was predeceased by one brother, Curtis Jones of Hephzibah, GA.

Ed and Ruby moved to Black Mountain (on their wedding day!) to begin their married life. Ed had purchased a drug store (aptly named Knight’s Pharmacy) on State Street. (Later he became the Chief of Pharmacy for Mission Hospital). After buying the drug store, they purchased their home on Church Street where Ruby lived for 73 years. She loved raising her children there, hosting social gatherings and MANY bridge parties. Once her children were older, she worked outside the home as the school secretary for the Black Mountain Primary School, and later as the bookkeeper for the Town of Black Mountain. Ruby was an active member of the Black Mountain United Methodist Church for many years and volunteered for numerous roles in the town, including the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the Black Mountain Public Library, and the Black Mountain Museum. A voracious reader, she donated over 5,000 books from her personal library to the Black Mountain Library when she moved to Givens Highland Farms. Ruby embodied the gift of hospitality and was intentional about generously loving her family and neighbors. She will be fondly remembered by all who knew her.

The family will be holding a Memorial Service at the Black Mountain United Methodist Church on Thursday, January 23 at 2:00. All are invited.

Funeral arrangements are being made through Harwood Home for Funerals in Black Mountain, NC. As an alternative to flowers, donations can be made to your favorite library in Ruby’s name. The family is grateful for the loving care provided to Ruby by the Givens Highland Farms team in her final years.