A dedicated member of the nursing profession, who had been a staff midwife at the former Erne Hospital, prior to retirement, Mrs. Frances Ruby Crane, late of Drumcoo, Enniskillen, passed away peacefully at The Cottage Care Home, Coleraine, on December 18, 2015, aged 93. Born on December 19, 1921, she would have been due to celebrate her 94th birthday the day after her passing.
Frances Ruby, née Flood, best known as Ruby, was born in Oakhill near Killeshandra, Co. Cavan, and lived there until the family moved to Daisyhill near Trillick, Co. Tyrone, in December 1933, when she was 12. 
Ruby was educated at primary school in Arva in Co. Cavan, followed by Trillick Primary School. On leaving there, just before her 14th birthday in 1935, she went back to Cavan to help her grandmother on the farm. Ruby had very happy memories of these years going to the local Cullesprattan Methodist Church and visiting friends and relations. It was as a young girl she gave her life to the Lord in one of the small gospel halls around Corhanna. 
Just after the start of the Second World War in 1940, Ruby and her sister Madeline went to Belfast to start training as nurses. Ruby began a long training programme - three years in Belfast Hospital for Sick Children gaining her RSCN, then back to Omagh County Hospital to train for her SRN general nursing and back again to RVH Maternity to obtain her SCM. She returned to Omagh County Hospital and she soon made her way up the ranks to Night Sister, having worked in most of the wards along the way. 
She married William Crane (Willie) on June 14, 1951 in Dromore Presbyterian Church and started married life in Killymendon, Ballinamallard. However sadly in October 1952 Willie took ill and died suddenly leaving Ruby a young widow who was pregnant. Their daughter Wilma Joan was born on February 11, 1953. Ruby maintained the farm until June 1965 when she moved to Drumcoo, Enniskillen.
She joined the maternity ward of the Erne Hospital as a staff midwife and remained there until her retirement in December 1986. She volunteered in the outpatients’ tea bar for another 10 years after her retirement.
She became a devoted member of Enniskillen Methodist Church in 1965. After she retired from nursing in 1984, she joined the MWI and was a very regular attender until after her 91st birthday in 2012 when her daughter Wilma brought her to Coleraine to be near her. 
Ruby also attended the Bible study evenings by Rev. Cyril Crozier, and she enjoyed going to the other churches in the district, Florencecourt, Letterbreen and back to Cullespratten. She had great friends in the church.
Ruby was a great family person, who was devoted to her family; her grandchildren and great grandchildren were very important to her. She enjoyed entertaining and was a keen cook and talented baker. She also loved gardening.
Her funeral service was held at Darling Street Methodist Church, Enniskillen, conducted by the Rev. Sam McGuffin. The hymns were Nearer My God to Thee, The King of Love My Shepherd Is, and What A Friend We Have in Jesus. Burial was at Kilskeery Parish Churchyard, where her husband had been laid to rest.
Ruby is survived by her daughter Wilma, son-in-law Peter and three grandchildren: Nikki and husband Richard; Jonathan and wife Lisa; and Lynsey.
She leaves four great grandchildren: Elijah; Tobias; Matilda-Jane; and Aaron, the wider family circle and her friends.
The Funeral Directors were S.R. Elliott and Sons, Darling Street, Enniskillen.