"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

These words echoed through Ruby Jean Long Morgan's life - spoken before dinnertime prayers and signed at the end of thoughtful notes and emails. They were more than a favorite Bible verse; they were her way of moving through the world.

Ruby Jean Long Morgan, 91, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, passed peacefully on August 27, 2026, surrounded by her children. She leaves behind a life defined by faith, devotion, creativity, and love.

Born into the humblest of beginnings on January 20, 1935, in Pillow, Pennsylvania, she was the eldest of three siblings raised in Klingerstown, a place she always called "God's Country." Ruby was the definition of a "Coal Miner's Daughter," always putting the needs of her beloved brother and sister ahead of her own. She walked herself to church on Sundays and carried that quiet leadership with her after graduating from Hegins Township High School in 1953 - steady, gracious, and unwavering.

Ruby lived many lives in one. She was a devoted U.S. Navy wife, preacher's wife, mayor's wife, and, later in life, a Navy mother; a Navy and Army grandmother; and a college graduate-proving it is never too late to pursue your dreams. She found particular joy in her years as a reading teacher, filling her classroom with books and delighting in every child she helped fall in love with reading for the first time.

Through every season, Ruby was first and foremost a faithful partner to her husband, Donald Ray Morgan, and a devoted mother to their four children, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild - each of whom knew she loved them "a bushel and a peck."

Ruby expressed love with her hands and her heart. She loved to cook, quilt, craft, and speak Pennsylvania Dutch with her brother Sonny. She had a remarkable gift for turning ordinary, well-worn things into treasures - Christmas ornaments made from Grandpa's old shirts, hand-stitched stuffed bears named "Ruby" for each grandchild, and countless keepsakes meant to be cherished for generations. She believed memories should be made, saved, and shared.

Her faith anchored her life. Until her final days, Ruby was resolute that God would still use her. She found peace in a church pew and strength in Scripture, living out her beliefs quietly but completely. Her presence was comforting, and her spirit was gentle.

Ruby is now reunited in heaven with her beloved husband, Donald; her son, Blake; her parents, Blanche and Ernest T. "Packer" Long; and her siblings, Sonny and Patsy. Her family imagines her being welcomed home to the joyful sound of bluegrass and banjo music - the music that always made her toes tap and her heart dance. Ruby loved to dance, and heaven surely felt her joy upon her arrival.

Ruby leaves behind her children: Donna; David and his wife, Mary; Heidi and her husband, Stefan; and daughter-in-law Brigid. She also leaves behind her grandchildren: David, Adam, Sarah Blake, Chloe and her husband, Chance, Blake, Maggie, Jessie and her husband, Joshua, Abbie and her husband, Ike, and Henry; as well as her great-grandson, Jonas.

Ruby Jean Long Morgan leaves a legacy of faith lived out loud, love stitched into every detail, and a life that rejoiced fully in each day the Lord had made.

A Celebration of Life for Ruby will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Mt. Rock United Methodist Church, 598 Mt. Rock Road, Newville, Pennsylvania.

Ruby always envisioned a happy day, with people dressed in bright colors instead of black, plenty of music, and great storytelling. All who knew and loved Ruby Jean are invited to attend and to share memories of her.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruby's memory may be made to her home church, Mt. Rock United Methodist Church at the address above.

Buffington Reed Funeral Home, Valley View is honored to serve the Morgan family with arrangements; condolences can be left for the family at buffingtonreed.com.