Ruby celebrated her 91st birthday on Friday, January 22, 2016. On Wednesday, January 2,7 she passed away peacefully at Hill Country Memorial Hospital.

Ruby was born at home in the Prairie Mountain Community. She was the middle child to Albert and Bernice Birk. She and her sisters Lorine and Vernell rode horseback or walked the 4 miles to attend school through the 8th grade.

Ruby and Robert met at Idle's in Fredericksburg on December 14, 1944. They were married on March 29, 1945. They moved to the Union Community in Mason County where they raised hogs, raised and thrashed peanuts, and raised and picked cotton. To this union was born James Ervin and Paul Albert. Ruby loved playing baseball with her boys in their front yard. For the many years that James and Paul played baseball she was always the score keeper. Robert and Ruby spent many years attending the horse races at the Gillespie County Fair in Fredericksburg. Ruby enjoyed going fishing, raccoon hunting, and deer hunting. She could skin a deer faster than anyone and out work most men. The last few years she loved watching the San Antonio Spurs.

After Robert's death in 1979, Ruby worked for Anna Lee's Nursing Home till it closed and then Mason Care Center. She was also a care giver to Ruby Kothmann.

Ruby was christened on April 24, 1925 in the Zion Lutheran church in Castell. Her sponsors were Hilmar Birk and Lena Otto. Ruby was a member of the Art United Methodist Church.

Welcoming her at the gates of heaven were her husband Robert, parents Albert and Bernice Birk, son Paul Toeppich, grandson Jason Toeppich, sisters Lorine Ewing and Vernell Flint.

Ruby is survived by son, James Toeppich of Art, daughter-in-law June Toeppich of Llano, grandchildren: Sanya and husband Rod Baumbach of Brenham, Sheila and husband Allen Wunderlich of Llano, Teresa Toeppich and Justin Toeppich also of Llano, great-grandchildren Corey, Jessica, Alicia and Bryce and numerous nieces and nephews and special friend and care giver Barbara Thompson.

Visitation with the family will be Friday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. at Mason Funeral Home.Services for Ruby Toeppich will be held Saturday, January 30, at Mason Funeral Home with Rev. John Alsbrooks and Rev. Mark Krause officiating. Burial will follow in the Toeppich Cemetery in the Union Community of Mason County.

Serving as pallbearers are Mark Durst, Tommy Durst, Roger Jordan, Wayne Jordan, Stephen Mutschink and Martin Rivera. Honorary pallbearers are Tommy Bierschwale, Kenneth Durst, Rodney Jackson and James Lindemann.