Ruby Kopecky Standefer
Ruby Kopecky Standefer, beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother joined her Lord and savior Jesus Christ on 3/2/25. She joins her loving husband, William (Billy) Standefer, her son and his wife, Dick and Cathy Standefer, sisters’ Gladys Shelton and Elaine Lambert, and many other dear family and friends that left before her.
Ruby was born March 23, 1922 in Caldwell, Texas where she was raised by her grandparents and 11 siblings in a house full of laughter and love. Days were spent working on the farm with siblings; nights were spent playing cards or dominoes and listening to Uncle Rob read the Bible.
Ruby graduated from the Houston Business college where she excelled in secretarial school. She went on to work for Northwestern Insurance where she met and married the love of her life, Billy in 1942. After her time at Northwestern, she was recruited to work for a company that manufactured airplane parts during the war. This was a big deal, as she was entrusted with highly confidential, sensitive information. She excelled in her career and was proud of this.
Ruby and Billy enjoyed dancing, playing cards, attending parties with friends and making memories. Many stories and laughs had recently been shared with family.
Family was everything to Ruby. She and Billy moved to La Marque where Dick and Susan were born and raised.
They eventually built a beach house in 1965 to continue making memories with family and friends. With their eyes on the future, her husband and a few good friends developed the Kona Kai subdivision and canal – and still maintain a beach house there.
In 1966, BP transferred them to Indiana where Susan and Dick graduated from Purdue and Indiana University. After brief stays in California and St Louis, Billy retired and they moved back to their family beach house in Bolivar–lovingly known as “the camp.”
Ruby enjoyed many trips, laughter, and adventures with her family. Ruby traveled to all 50 states, Mexico, & the Caribbean. She survived several tough periods including the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, the Texas City explosion, and the pandemic.
Ruby loved dancing, watching the Astros and Texans, and doing ALL THINGS around the water – especially fishing. She was and always will be known as the Flounder Queen.
Combining their love of family with fishing, Ruby & Billy started a competitive annual fishing contest with food, games, and bragging rights. The contest has been held 47 years now and is still going strong.
At 96, she moved to Village on the Park where she enjoyed her many friends and fun activities. She always had a smile for everyone.
Yes, there were a few hiccups – a stroke, a broken hip, and a fall – but if you know Ruby, you know that wouldn’t stop her. She worked hard to return to her favorite poker group and friends at VOP.
Ruby inspires anyone around her with her positivity, work ethic, humor, and knack for catching fish—when others can’t.
Thank you to Belma, Maria, Maricela, Alice and the wonderful people at Village on the Park who made her life special.
Survivors include: daughter Susan Standefer Taylor and husband Chuck, granddaughter Kristi Taylor Cline and husband Bruce, grandson Brian Standefer, his wife Katie and their 3 children, and grandson William Billy Standefer and Mateo Munoz. Ruby also has 5 great grandchildren: Matt Meenan, Taylor Meenan, Parker Standefer, Drake Standefer, and Ruby Standefer.
A Visitation will be at 11 A.M. on Friday, March 7, 2025 at Crowder Funeral Home, 111 E. Medical Center Blvd., Webster, Texas 77598, followed by a Celebration of Life at noon.