Linnie "Ruth" Coburn

October 14, 1929 - January 30, 2022

Linnie (Ruth) Coburn passed peacefully into eternal life with her Savior Jesus Christ on January 30, 2022. She was 92 years old. Ruth was a devoted daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend. Ruth was born on October 14, 1929, in Summerland, Mississippi to Forrest (Papa Holi) and Linnie Dora (Mama Nini) Holifield. She grew up in rural Mississippi with her parents and 3 sisters, graduated from Soso High School where she played girls basketball. She was a graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi with degrees in Home Economics and Physical Education. While she taught in public schools and even coached girls’ basketball she spent much of her career as the dietician at Howard Bishop Middle School in Gainesville. Ruth moved to Florida (Cedar Key) upon graduating from Southern Mississippi on a dare from her family who said she would never last that far from home. Ruth met the love of her life, Tyler Coburn, in Cedar Key, Florida when he asked if he could walk her home from his sister’s diner. She caught Tyler’s eye in the red pants she was wearing which she spent years denying that she ever owned. Tyler and Ruth were married on December 26, 1953. They began their marriage in Bronson but spent most of their married life in Gainesville, FL where they raised their two daughters Pam, and Terri. Tyler and Ruth had a very special marriage. They were married for 59 years and still held hands until the day of Tyler’s passing on January 16, 2013. Ruth was a longtime member of Westside Baptist Church and the Jabez LifeGroup. She loved her church, her Pastor, and her friends in her LifeGroup. Many of her friends from the LifeGroup and the neighborhood where she raised her family have passed before her. She was a good friend to all even still having a long-distance relationship with her college roommate who still resides in Mississippi. Ruth spent many hours on the phone with her friends. Ruth was a wonderful “Memal” to 3 girls who she loved with everything in her. She would always stop what she was doing to get on the floor to participate in whatever imaginary game they wanted to play. She was intentional and never missed anything her granddaughters were involved in. Ruth’s family loved her cooking, and she will always be famous in their eyes for her chicken salad, cornbread, chicken and dumplings, and fried chicken. She was a great grandmother to 3 and took that job very seriously. There was nothing she loved more than holding and snuggling them. She enjoyed shopping, clothes, cooking, gardening, playing cards with friends, and spoiling her family. Ruth is survived by her daughters; Pam (Mike) Weldon and Terri (Rory) Causseaux, 2 granddaughters; Hailey (Andy) Owen, and Blair Causseaux, and 3 great grandchildren; Tyler, Brooke, and Layne Owen. She was preceded in death by her husband, Tyler Coburn; her sisters, Annie Sue Shows, Daisy Blakeney, Betty Dykes, and granddaughter Jordann Causseaux. A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held Thursday, February 3, 2022, at 3:00 pm at Westside Baptist Church, 10000 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville, Florida 32606. The visitation is one hour prior, beginning at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Westside Baptist Foundation.