Ruth Taylor Harbin, RN

Ruth Harbin, a long-time Grenada Nurse, died peacefully at her home on Saturday, June 21, 2025, of natural causes at the age of 96.

Survivors include her husband of 52 years and the love of her life, Joe (William A.) Harbin Jr. When they married, Ruth gained four step-children: Brent Harbin (Martha), Gale Lovell (Dennis), Kay Worsham (Ronnie), and Randy Harbin, all Grenada residents. Brent and his first wife Marcia preceded her in death and Randy passed away on June 22, one day after Ruth. Three granddaughters, a grandson, and two great-grandsons also survive.

Mrs. Harbin also leaves her nieces and nephews, whom she loved dearly, but showed no mercy during games of Rook, Uno or Chinese Checkers: Johnny Laster and Robert Gary Laster (Susan) of Duck Hill, Melba Laster Rodgers (Thomas) of Duck Hill, and Nannette Laster of Grenada. Nephew Larry Laster (Carol) of Hernando died in 2023.  Also left are nine great, 11 great-great, and four great-great-greats to keep the Laster kids going.

Nettie Ruth Taylor Harbin was born in Duck Hill on March 29, 1929, to Denson Nathaniel Taylor and Mattie Lou Jones Taylor. Also welcoming her was big sister Frances Taylor Laster, who arrived six years earlier.

She attended school in Duck Hill and graduated from Lloyd T. Binford High School in 1947 as class salutatorian. Later that summer, she boarded the train at the Duck Hill station for a trip to Memphis where she attended the Baptist Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. After graduating in 1950, Ruth Taylor, RN, worked for a few years in Memphis before returning to Grenada to work for Dr. J.K. Avent in surgery at the former Grenada County Hospital on Mound Street. Most of her 50-year career was spent in an operating room where she started as the "scrub nurse," directly assisting the doctors and assuring procedures were done in a sterile environment. She was later the operating room circulating nurse and then the operating room manager. Not even doctors were exempt from the rules, and those who did not follow proper procedure had to repeat hand-washing until they passed inspection.

When the new Grenada County Hospital was opened in 1967, she helped oversee moving the patients and worked for a time as director of nurses before returning to surgery. Later in her career, she worked at the Greenwood-Leflore Hospital in surgery and as assistant director of nurses. After her retirement, Mrs. Harbin worked several years at Grenada Living Center and taught Nursing Assistant classes for Beverly Health Care.

She was a long-time member of Emmanuel Baptist Church where she was a greeter and a member of Faith Sunday School Class. She also enjoyed fishing with Joe and hosting fish-fries for friends and neighbors. Mrs. Harbin was also a former long-time member of the Mississippi Bluebird Society.

Pallbearers will be Adam Harbin, Brent McDaniel, Taylor Fant, Ronnie Worsham, Dennis Lovell and Jeff Lancaster. Honorary pallbearers are Johnny Laster, Robert Gary Laster, Tim Laster, Thomas Rodgers, Taylor Rodgers, Austin Rodgers, George Byrd, Bobby Jones and Paul Jones.

Memorials may be made to Emmanuel Baptist Church or a charity of choice.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, June 27, 2025 at McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service in Grenada with Dr. Brent Barker and Rev. J. Barry Worrell officiating.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service Friday at McKibben and Guinn.

Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.

McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service is in charge.