Ruby Salley; 1921-2014: Teacher offered reading skills to challenged kids
4/15/2014Ruby Salley, a former teacher in the Sylvania School District who was a reading specialist for many years, died Friday in Northbrooke Healthcare and Rehab Center, Jackson, Tenn. She was 92.
Her son, John Salley, wouldn’t provide the cause of death. He said his mother, who moved from West Toledo to Jackson in 2006, had been a patient in the facility for a week.
Mrs. Salley was a teacher for 27 years in Sylvania Schools All of her career with the district was at the elementary level.
Mr. Salley said his mother taught at Maplewood, Stranahan, and Whiteford schools.
In her last 10 years with the district, Mrs. Salley was a reading specialist who went to schools to provide one-on-one instruction to youngsters.
“She taught perceptually handicapped children, or special-needs children, primarily helping them with their reading skills. Many of them were children with dyslexia,” her son said.
She retired in 1987.
The former Ruby Claire Turcotte, she was born on May 15, 1921 in Magee, Miss. She was the youngest of six children.
Her family moved to Clinton, Miss., when she was young. She was educated at schools in Clinton and attended Mississippi College for three years. She completed her college education at Texas Christian University in Forth Worth.
Prior to moving to Toledo, she taught junior high in Louisville.
Mrs. Salley joined First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo on Collingwood Boulevard in 1960 and remained a member of the congregation after it relocated to Pilliod Road near Holland.
She was a longtime member of Palestine chapter of the Order of Eastern Stars, where she served as worthy matron.
Mr. Salley said his mother remained close to her family in Mississippi and visited at least once a year, usually for several months in the summer when she would help harvest vegetables and can and preserve the produce.
Surviving are her son, John Salley; daughters, Virginia Ann Ross and Mary Elizabeth Salley; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren, and a great-great-granddaughter.
Visitation will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Wright-Ferguson Funeral Home, Clinton, Tenn., followed by services at 3 p.m.
Contact Mark Reiter at: markreiter@theblade.com or 419-724-6199.