Ruby Caudle Fraley's Obituary
Ruby Caudle Fraley, 89, of Richfield, passed away peacefully at her home on May 15, 2026. Her funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2026, at New Mount Tabor United Methodist Church with Pastor Katie Linberger officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care.
Born October 2, 1936, in Anson County, North Carolina, Ruby was the daughter of the late Thomas Hummie Caudle and Valda Huneycutt Caudle. A faithful member of New Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, she devoted much of her life to her church and community, faithfully serving in many roles throughout the years. She retired as Vice President of First Bank after a long and respected career.
Ruby will be remembered as a woman of strength, love, and unwavering devotion to her family and faith. Her family describes her as caring, feisty, patient, stern when she needed to be, trustworthy, competitive, and deeply loving — simply “the best.” She was known for her warm hospitality, her exceptional cooking and baking, and her joy in gathering family and friends around her table, especially on Sundays after church.
She found happiness in life’s simple blessings — working in her garden, sharing meals with those she loved, and spending time with her family. Her grandchildren fondly remember long afternoons snapping beans, shucking corn, and being lovingly chased through the yard with a hickory stick whenever they got out of line. Those memories, filled with laughter and love, will remain treasured for generations to come. She was always proud to remind her family that she completed 12 years of school with perfect attendance.
As a young woman, Ruby was an outstanding basketball player at Richfield High School, earning All-County and All-Conference honors. Her strong spirit and determination stayed with her throughout her life. Her favorite hymn was “Because He Lives,” and her favorite Scripture was Matthew 25:23: “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Those words beautifully reflect the faithful and servant-hearted life she lived.
Ruby was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Wayne Fraley, in 2024. She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Angela F. Ballard; brothers, James Caudle, Boyce Caudle, and Everett Caudle; sisters, Kathryn Ross and Edna Earnhardt; and son-in-law, Sidney Smith.
She is survived by her daughter, Debra Fraley Smith; her brother, Dewey Caudle (Doris) of Concord; her sister, Fran Watson of Gold Hill; her grandchildren, Titus Russell (Nicole), Brett Ballard, Brooke Brown (Shayne), Amie Hooks (Garrett), and Hannah Ballard; and her great-grandchildren, Gunnar Hooks, Alayna Russell, Jaxton Hooks, and Baby Brown, expected to arrive in just a few short weeks.
The family requests that memorials be made to Tillery Compassionate Care, 960 N. First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001; New Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, 40237 Millingport Road, Richfield, NC 28137; or the Pfeiffer University Office of Advancement for The Valda H. and T.H. Caudle Memorial Endowed Scholarship, P.O. Box 960, Misenheimer, NC 28109.
What’s your fondest memory of Ruby?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ruby?
Share a story where Ruby's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ruby you’ll never forget.
How did Ruby make you smile?