Greene County Training School & South Greene High School
Ruby graduated from high school in 1949 as class salutatorian. Her good
friends, Iola Johnson and Velma Speight-Buford were co-valedictorians.
Honors
In August 1949, Ruby entered the Medical College of Virginia at St. Philip
School of Nursing (for colored girls then). She graduated with honors in 1952
and eventually moved to Washington, DC. In DC, she found employment as a
staff nurse in the neurology/psychiatric department at George Washington
University Hospital for one year. She went on to St. Elizabeth Psychiatric
Hospital and remained there for 34 years. Her positions there included that of
staff nurse, head nurse and supervisor. She retired from St. Elizabeth on
September 30, 1987. Prior to her retirement, Ruby also served as a Nurse
Educator at George Mason University. Moreover, she served in the Prison
Hospital at St. Elizabeth for thirteen years.
National Alumni Association, Inc.
Mrs. Ruby Edwards Elmore
“From Humble Beginnings”
♦
The Greene County Training School & South Greene High School National Alumni Association,
representing communities near and far, is pleased to honor and applaud Ruby Edwards Elmore on
this occasion. We do so gleefully and without reservation because of
her participation and service to the Alumni Association. Ruby was
the Association’s third National President, 1985-86. In addition,
Ruby’s level of community service is noteworthy and indicative of a
life of faith, hope and charity. She truly possesses a heart to relieve
the hurt and struggles of humanity everywhere.
“I give credit to God and Greene County Training
School for the kind of life I’ve enjoyed over these
many years. I was born in Bullhead, North
Carolina, May 8, 1932; the tenth child of the late
Minnie and Bennie P. Edwards. I am the only
surviving sibling of their thirteen children.”
Ruby’s educational life began at six years old when she enrolled as a student
at Greene County Training School. During those times, there were no
nurseries, day cares, Head Start or kindergarten for ’colored’ children. Ruby
loved her early school years and takes great pride in being able to list all of her
elementary school teachers:
 1st Grade-Ms. Hattie Joyner; 2nd Grade-Mrs. G. S. Devane; 3rd Grade-Ms. Jenkins;

4th Grade-Mrs. McDuffie; 5th, 6th & 7th Grade-Mrs. Mittie Suggs (Ruby’s sister)
and Mrs. Carroll
8th Grade-Mrs. Maggie King (History); 9th Grade-Mrs. Inez E. Burge (English); 10th
Grade-Mr. Earl Brinson (Chemistry); 11th Grade-Mr. George White (Industrial Ed);
12th Grade-Ms. Holland (Home Economics) and Mrs. K. D. Smith (English/French).
Black schools were really focused on developing the whole child in that day.
Ruby vividly remembers chapel services in the old auditorium with Professor
Leonard H. Smith, Jr., and his singing ‘Under His Wings’ and ‘Trust And
Obey.’ She remembers a host of stage plays and walking to school while
white children rode by on school buses. In Ruby’s day, students took their
lunch to school in greasy brown bags. Lunch for them was oftentimes very
simple, but filling . . . sweet potatoes and biscuits. Of course, there was the
Jr./Sr. Prom and other socials. Ruby’s dates ‘stood her up’ both years and her
papa would drive her to each social and pick her up afterwards to take her
home.
Ruby’s academic preparations includes:
 BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing; University of Maryland, 1972
 MSN (Masters of Science in Nursing, Catholic University, 1982
 Certified in Psychiatric Nursing, 1983
 Certified Substance Abuse Counsel-NC by the NC Certification Board Theory; NC
State, Raleigh, NC; clinical, Franklin County Mental Health Center
Recognizing the need to be relevant and engaged, Ruby founded BROAD, Inc
(Bunn Residents Organized Against Drugs); a community center. She has
served on a number of boards which includes social services (Work First), the
Executive Committee of NC Democrats and her beloved, Gethsemane
Missionary Baptist Church in Bunn, NC. At Gethsemane, she provides
leadership for the church’s Addiction Recovery Ministry, the Nursing Ministry,
Community Concerns and the Community Development Corporation. She
remains active with the Democratic Party in Franklin County (Franklin County
Democratic Women) and she regularly serves as a voter registrar. In addition,
Ruby has been active in a number of social and cultural clubs in the Bunn area.
Ruby’s travel experiences have undoubtedly enriched her life. She has traveled
over much of the US, the Caribbean (including Cuba), the Soviet Union; all over
Europe (Switzerland, Finland, France, England, Brussels, etc.) In addition, her
travels in Africa, ’the Motherland,’ include visits to S. Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia,
Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Her family, and all that family entails, is very dear to Ruby. She and her
deceased husband, Thomas Elmore, have two sons, Thomas Elmore, Jr. and
Kelvin Elmore, Sr.; two grandsons, Toye Antwon Jones and Kelvin Elmore, Jr.;
one granddaughter, Kendra Elmore and two great granddaughters, Toya Jones
and Tavian Jones.
Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.
GCTS & SGHS National Alumni Association, Inc., May 12, 2016