THE funeral service of the late Brian Michael Ruby was held at St Martin’s Church in Lewannick on January 25, 2025.

A packed congregation of family and friends were in attendance for Brian Ruby from North Hill.

The service was conducted by Andrew Doney.

Brian was an only child born to Joyce and Les Ruby on May 2, 1943 in Okehampton.

He spent the first few months of his life in Devon, but soon moved to Cornwall after his mother’s family sold their farm at North Russell and purchased Blythes Farm in the village of North Hill.

Brian’s parents relocated and moved into Rose Cottage in the village around the same time. As Brian grew older, they moved again into Church View.

As a child Brian performed in the North Hill panto and never had a shortage of friends to hang out with in the village.

When his cousins came to visit their grandparents at Blythes Farm, they spent many happy times exploring the farm and eating apples and plumbs from the orchard.

Brian loved helping out and working on the farm and he was very fond of his granfer Prouse, and perhaps his childhood on the farm was what gave him his love of tractors.

From a young age Brian loved Jack Russells and was never without a dog in his home.

He always spoilt them and often they ate as well as him with him feeding them tidbits from his own plate; they certainly never went hungry!

He said it was his trusted Jack Russell dog that saved him when a fire broke out in the kitchen at Rose Cottage.

If it hadn’t been for his little dog barking and pulling his bed clothes, he wouldn’t have woken from his sleep and said this is why he’d never have another breed.

But his last two dogs, Bently and Misty had a secret!

As puppies they looked very similar, but before long people were noticing that Bently was starting to look different.

In true Brian style whilst out for a drive one Sunday afternoon, he would pop in to see the people who sold him his puppies to show them how well the pair were doing.

Upon arrival, Brian’s wife Rita noticed a Beagle in the neighbours garden next door.

As Bently grew in size, it became apparent that he looked very much like a Beagle.

Although he had the colouring of his Jack Russell mother, there was no mistaking he must be half Beagle, but the rest is history as Bently turned out by far to be one of Brian’s favourite dogs.

Brian attended North Hill Primary School, followed by Pennygillam Secondary School, but if he could have had his way he would have skipped school altogether and spent all of his time out on the farm.

Perhaps it was his love of the land and being outdoors that moulded Brian into a very practical, resourceful and hardworking man we all knew.

He always said he was never a lover of going to school and after he left school, thought he would become a farmer.

But his father Les had other ideas and wanted Brian to learn a trade.

Brian took an apprenticeship with Prouts Garage in Launceston, working there for many years.

The time came when Brian and Les wanted to go alone, and in the early 70s they set up their own business in a small shed in North Hill, naming it ‘Ruby’s Garage’.

After the business grew they needed a bigger premises and moved to the present day location.

There are many men in the parish who would have spent hours at Ruby’s, for not only was it a garage, it was well-known that of an evening or a Saturday afternoon you would find Brian back at work doing overtime and if you needed a chat or hang out with the lads, you could just turn up.

The late Johnny Duance, known to us as Jan, once joked to Brian’s daughter Angela that it was a bit like a secret social club.

There must have been many laughs and carries on, and as the years went on, Brian continued to give advice and help to both friends, staff and customers all under the roof of the garage.

When Brian was forced to retire due to the COVID outbreak, he never doubted the garage would be in safe hands with his daughter Diana and son-in-law Kevin continuing his dream.

Brian met Rita in the early 60s and they married in 1965 in North Hill Chapel.

At first they lived with his parents, as the bungalow they were having built was still under construction.

In 1970 they became proud parents, first Angela arrived, followed by Diana.

They moved again in 1983 to the house on the hill, the house which Brian had his eye on since childhood.

Brian and Rita would have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary this March, nearly 60 years of marriage.

Right to the end he was always thinking about looking after his wife and family, one of his last jobs was making sure Rita wouldn’t run out of logs and he made sure we all knew how to use the log splitter for when he wouldn’t be around.

During Brian’s life he turned his hand to many hobbies and interests.

Best known for doing his woodwork, which he could have had a second career in, he made everything from pens to bowls, which he took great joy in giving away, to a fitted kitchen and bedroom furniture and his last work with the help of Shaun, the church gates which he was very proud of.

He also kept bees back in the days when he lived at Briarmead, and of course he loved his vegetable garden.

Brian and Rita even had a spell as local wedding photographers, taking photos for many a parish wedding over the years, and even sometimes further afield. He even built himself his own dark room so he could develop his photos.

Brian was also a governor at Coad’s Green Primary School and he also stood as chairman if the Motor Agents Association for a period of time.

In the late 90s, with the involvement of Diana and Kevin, he turned to property development, where together they purchased the site which was previously known as J Carne and Son.

Brian also restored vintage tractors. He had a green and also orange Field Marshall, a blue Fordson and other collectable tractors.

He enjoyed taking them to vintage rallies and with the help of friends Ken and Johnny, they would clean and polish the tractors, load them up on the lorries and show them at most of the local rallies.

He also had a vintage Rover car which came later on, and he enjoyed driving around in this too.

There was a pattern starting and if Brian did something, he didn’t dabble, he went the whole way.

When he wanted a larger vegetable garden he planted one of his fields, to a cottage garden size, always giving away to anyone he knew the produce he grew with pride.

Some of you may remember his involvement with the rodeos at North Hill and Trevadalock, and last but not least, he was a dedicated member of North Hill Parish Council for over 50 years, where he was well-known for speaking his mind and wouldn’t beat around the bush when it came to saying what he thought.

He really did want to make a difference in the parish, and he certainly did that!

Words by Mary about Brian and the parish council:

I always classed Brian as the elder on the parish council and spent many hours asking for advice whilst being chairman on two occasions.

I even spoke at length to him when he rang me from Derriford 48 hours before he passed away, telling me what needed doing in the parish.

Planning was Brian’s bugbear as he always said that Cornwall Council never listened to our views, so what was the point of having site meetings and giving our opinions as a parish council.

Brian did so much voluntary work over the years for the council, that I’m sure the community never realised.

In the 90s, with their daughters now grown up, Brian and Rita were able to start exploring the world and enjoyed holidays to New Zealand, Canada and China.

They enjoyed cruising and holidays away in their motorhome, up until Brian’s health prevented him from travelling so far from home.

Brian was a proud granddad to Heather and Laura and great granddad to Sullivan and Freya.

With the arrival of Sullivan, he at last had a boy in the family, something that he always wanted.

He used to take great interest and pride in seeing Sullivan growing up in the village and enjoying the outdoors, just as he had at the same age.

After Brian’s retirement he had more time to be outdoors pottering and using his tractor to help him with any task required.

He was well-known for riding around the village on his tractor and would stop to have a chat with anyone he would pass.

It seemed that his car was redundant and his tractor was now his main mode of transport, he did so love being outdoors.

He never felt the need to move away from North Hill, always content living in the parish he loved so much and happy ending his days in the house on the hill, he had aspired to own as a child.

From the boy who knew what he wanted, to the man who could achieve pretty much anything he turned his hand to, Brian certainly led a very full, happy and accomplished life.

Donations were invited for Diabetes UK, British Heart Foundation and St Torney’s Church, North Hill.

Family mourners: Rita Ruby, wife; Angela Provis and Diana Yeo, daughters; Heather Davey and Laura Provis, granddaughters; Alan and Louise Pedrick, Colin and Julie Fishleigh, Linda Cox, Sandra Bartlett, Ann Saunders, Kelly Castle, Shirley Prouse and Ray George, Brian and Fran Reddicliffe, Harvey and Jack Reddicliffe, Lianne Skinner, Graham Humber, Michael (Tibby) and Dianne Smith, Roger Quick (Jen Rice), Sue Gallent and Julie Rice, Malcom and Anne Skinner, Philip and Gina Budge, Sylvia and Alan Yeo, Benjamin Smith, Tony and Tessa Walker, Sophie, Judie and Robert Rice, Adam and Adrianne Provis, Morgan Provis, Linda Hussell and Steve Penn.

General public: Nigel Wadge (Justine Wadge, Rosemary Wadge), Mr and Mrs B Warne (Mr and Mrs N Coombe, Mr and Mrs G Goodman, Mr G Mitchell), Elizabeth and Marion Smith (Mr and Mrs D Smith), Ronald Sobey, Ken Wilton (family), John and Irene Cook, Heather Kingdon, Mike Wright, Mike and Rose Aunger, Doris Emmett, Geoff and Kathleen Harris, Richard Budge (Tamsin), David Lewis, Peter Howard, Steve Johnson, Susan Boggis (Richard Boggis), Amanda Page, Marie and Tony Richards (Harry and Wendy Parry), Steve and Marilyn Basford, Steve and Kate Rowland, Jon Barnard, Jacueline Embury (Mr and Mrs J Cole), Harriet Embury, Mark Jenkin, Jonothan Billinge, Jill Digory (Norman Jasper), Carol Horsington, Adrian Dinalo, S Penhale (L Penhale), Andrew Allen, Chris Allen, Philip and Diane Thomas, Chris and Pauline Daniel, Mr and Mrs W Rendall, Chris Davey, Mary Budge, Brenda Pike (Michael and Sarah Pike), Dave and Jean Bragg, Adrian Hoare, Ken Evely (Merv Beard), Pete Ingerson, Sevrine Sailley, Gary and Julia Sampson (Gordon and Margaret), Mr and Mrs D Tucker (family), Elaine Randall (family, P Harris, L Martin), Sheila Thomas (family), Dave Hewis, Mr and Mrs Alan Parsons (Adrian), Judith Jolly (Ian), Marina Pridham, Sarah Doney (Zena Jones, Sally-Ann and Ian), Mr and Mrs L Hooper, Mr N Hooper, David Harry, B Venning (Mrs A Dutton), Mr and Mrs A Burnard (J Burnard), Mervyn and Jackie Stephens (Mr and Mrs M J Stephens), Andrew and Nicky Sobey (Wendy Chidley), Simon Mitchell, Steve and Sally Sandercock, Cynthia Goodchild (Peter), Tim Halls, Mr and Mrs M Searle, Brian Luxton (Phil Snooks and Sarah Latham-Phillips), Shaun and Jane Terry, Paul and Lyndsay Doney, Peter Cole, Peter Retallack (Karen Bunt), Adrian Retallack, John Titcombe, Mr and Mrs Brian Davey, Benjamin Smith, Rhiannon Smith, Andrew Gerring, Mary Lucy, Steven Basford, Sarah Dempsey, Michael White, N Elvey, M Hopper (Kaye, Steve and R Jenkin), C Gubbin, Joyce Finnamore (N Aunger), Tracey Palmer (Gilbert family), Sharon Crowells, Debbie Gabriel (Duance), Keith Gribble, Paul and Shirley Tucker, Martin and Hayley Budge, Grenville and Mary Rowe (Roger and Jean Francis), Jackie Elvidge (Richard and Eileen Bond, Betty Gribble), David and Carol Sleep, Mr and Mrs Bennett, Chris and Tamara Mercer, Barbara Sleep (E Sleep and family), Vera Sandercock, Ian Scott, Robert and Bridget Thomas (Ivan Gribble and Lorna Moore), G Wadge (Eileen and Marilyn), Courtney and Christine Walters (Matthew and Emma), Les Hooper, Keith Richards, Nigel Wadge (Caroline), David Venning (Piper), Margaret Piper (David Rice), Shirley Prowse, Ray George, Jean Ryder, Richard Bartlett, Chris Warne, M Holdaway, Jimmy Dent, George and Heather Prior, Liz Clarke, M Whalley, Neil Gubbin, Mr and Mrs Micheal Wilson, D Daniells (Karen), Luke Daniells, Colin Coombe (Neville), Andrew and Sylvia Doney, Ray and Rita Prout (M Stearns), Steve and Gill Pearce, Keith Woods, Roger and Karen Kneebone, Graham Tucker (Daphne), Brian Cooper (Simon Bolt), Mike and Michelle Jane, Ian and Sue Holman, Ruth Love, Mr and Mrs Graham Walters, Paul Vincent (Vincent Tractors), Morley Warne (Lynn), Dave and Sue Headon, Dia and Fran Jones, Brian Davis, Nancy Harrison, Dave and Sally Richardson, Simon Bolt, Elizabeth Hoskin (Maurice and Mandy and Robert Hoskin), Jan and Steve Beldon.

Unable to attend: Trevor Davey, Mrs Sheila Van-Neck, Mrs Debbie Price, Harry Price, Brian Higgs, Ian and Karen McKay, Carole and Alexander Bluett, Terry Parsons, Kay Canon, Sullivan and Freya Hanson, great grandchildren; Marty and Melody Saunders, Dan Castle.