Ruby Kate (Provo) Tryan, age 102 years, 165 days old of New Port Richey, FL (formerly of Ford River, MI) went to be with the Lord on October 18, 2023. Ruby was born on May 6th 1921, to Mary Louise Grandchamp-Provo and Frank LaFayette Provo. #13 of 14 children, she was born in a log cabin at their family homestead, in Stonington MI, on Big Bay De Noc.
Ruby attended the Papineau School until she was 12 years old. Graduating from the 8th grade. She walked 2 miles to school every day with her sisters. She was on the honor roll and had perfect attendance. Before and after school she had her chores, including milking the family’s 10 dairy cows. She would complain that the cow would swing its dirty tail and hit her with it. Because of that, she didn’t care for milk. She would fondly talk about the times her family would go blueberry picking. Cleaning them wasn’t fun, but her mom would can around 200 quarts of blueberries. They had a large garden and ate a lot of venison and fish. She said they never went hungry. She moved to Escanaba not long after she graduated school to help with her older sisters children and housekeeping.
Ruby married the love of her life, Earl Richard Tryan on April 12,1942. They built their family home on the Jaeger Road where they raised 8 children. They had a tree nursery on the property that they worked for extra income. Earl preceded her in death on January 3, 1964 from a car accident, while working for Birdseye Veneer. Now a young widow, Ruby had 5 children still at home, the youngest, just 18 months old, that she continued to raise on her own. She continued to live in their family home, with her handicapped son, Robert until August 2021, when she fell and broke her hip. At 100 years old, she had surgery and recovered well but never returned to her home. In July, 2022 Ruby moved to New Port Richey, FL to be with her daughter, Laura’s family, and her son Robert, who moved there after her fall.
Ruby loved sidewalk sales, garage sales and bargain shopping. She enjoyed spending time with family, at the hunting camp near the old Provo property in Stonington. She didn’t like the porcupines that would chew on the outhouses or camps, but she loved a good picnic with family, especially with homemade baked beans, by her daughter-in-law Dolly DuPont-Tryan, fondly called “the Bean Queen”. She also loved potato salad. According to Ruby, her daughters Judy and Sharon made the best. She loved venison and fish, and enjoyed an occasional shot of Blackberry Brandy. She had a voracious appetite for sweets and candy. We kept her well stocked. Her granddaughter Amy always got her the good stuff. She was always excited when someone got a deer, especially if they shared it with her. In later years , she spent many hours at the Hannahville casino for her entertainment. She always told us what she won, but never what she spent. She was a past member and Inside Guard of the AMVETS in Escanaba.
Ruby had many good friends. She was always there to help friends and neighbors with a ride to church or to get groceries. Maybe a side trip to the Corner Bar or Breezy Point. She was always the life of the party.
Ruby was preceded in death by her mother (Mary) and father (Frank), 13 siblings Minnie, Laura, Clara, Charles and Earnest (Longhurst), Frank, Abbie, George, Horace, Ruth, Birdie, Hazel and Mildred (Provo). Her husband Earl, 3 sons, Richard, George, and Paul. Four grandchildren Kelly Carroll (Sharon), Randy Derouin (Judy), Scott Johnson (Laura), and Kimberly Krause (Earl), 1 great-grandchild Marissa Jibben (Vicki).
Surviving family includes Three daughters Judy Smith (Steve) Yuma, AZ, Sharon Stephens (Brian) South Lyon, MI. Laura Love (John) New Port Richey, FL, two sons Robert of New Port Richey, FL and Earl (Karen) of Escanaba, MI, Daughter-in-law Jackie (George) Tryan of Ford River, MI, eleven grandchildren Earl William Tryan, Vickie Jibben, Wendy Foliano, Amy Salas, Marc Tryan, Christoper Tryan, Brandy Johnson, Aubrie Tryan, Eric Tryan, Mara Tryan, and Johnny Love; 21 great grandchildren; 10 great great-grandchildren and 1 great great-great grandchild. A special acknowledgement to her close friend, Sandra Brinker of Escanaba, MI who called her daily and sent her a plethora of cards.
Friends may call from 12:00 (noon) to 1:00 p.m. on Friday October 27, 2023 at the Allo Coolman Funeral Home in Escanaba. A funeral service to celebrate the life of Ruby Tryan will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home with Fr. Rick Courier officiating. Burial will follow services in the Gardens of Rest Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at a family members home and will be announced at the funeral home.
Please visit www.allofh.com to send online condolences to her family.