Ruby Merlin Barnard, lovingly known as “Lady Ruby” and “Grandma Ruby”, passed away on April 20, 2026, at the age of eighty-four, her life a long and luminous song of courage, grace, and love. Born on June 29, 1941, in Jackson, Mississippi, she came of age in a world that often sought to dim her light, yet she rose with a quiet strength and tenderness that became her signature.
A professional jazz singer, Ruby’s voice carried both ache and beauty, reflecting the spirit of the greats while remaining unmistakably her own, warm, soulful, and deeply human. Performing as “Lady Ruby”, she spent more than five decades on stages across the country, collaborating with renowned musicians such as The Glenn Miller Orchestra and Fro Brigham. She captivated audiences in clubs, festivals, and intimate venues where time seemed to slow when she began to sing. In recognition of her artistry and influence, she was honored in 2014 as a Hall of Fame Jazz Heritage inductee.
Ruby sang not only for applause, but for healing. A humanitarian at heart, she shared her gift through countless benefit concerts supporting AIDS awareness, cancer research, and the LGBTQI community. She held a special devotion to children with autism, inspired by raising her grandson, Zjariel Lealwalcott, who was diagnosed as a toddler. From this love, she created a choir, Ruby and the Gems, where she wrote and recorded the song “We Can Make It” with the children. This work earned her recognition in San Diego Autism Action magazine. In every note, she carried a message of hope, that beauty can rise from hardship and that no life is without purpose.
Beyond the stage, Ruby was a devoted matriarch whose presence filled every room with warmth, laughter, and music. She is the beloved mother of Tommy Stewart and the late Elissa Barnard and Tyrone Carpenter, whose memories she carried with tenderness. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, who inherit her resilience, her spirit, and her love of song.
Ruby’s life was a testament to the enduring power of love. Her melody lives on in the hearts she touched and the lives she uplifted.
