Ruby Mae Arcement

April 10th, 2025 
Ruby Mae Guidry Arcement was an extraordinary woman, daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Of these, her greatest role was that of Mother. Were Oscars given out for mothers; Ruby Mae would win hands down every year. Born the youngest of eight children in Raceland, Louisiana, on December 18th, 1929, in the year of the Great Wall Street Crash, Ruby grew up next to the movie theatre in the big yellow house in the center of Raceland. She loved living in that house, and in her later years, she asked on a nearly daily basis to visit there.

The 1930s ushered in the Great Depression as well as her father’s death, in 1935, thereby leaving her widowed mother with eight children to rear. Ruby found herself at the age of five walking door to door, while carrying a big metal bucket, and selling milk from their cow to help support the family. In an effort to curb hunger, President Roosevelt sent families 100 orange trees and Ruby participated in planting them eventually receiving an orange in her stocking with each passing Christmas. She later crisscrossed Raceland during the 1940s collecting scrap metal for the World War II effort.

Graduating valedictorian from high school in1946, she delivered a speech entitled “The United States’ Role on the Post World War Global Stage”. Off to college at Southwestern Louisiana Institute in Lafayette (now UL), Ruby majored in Education, served in the Red Jackets, and met her future husband, Nollie, who was also from Raceland.

Ruby returned home to begin teaching, a year later married Nollie, a history teacher and track coach at Raceland High School. Ruby’s purpose was to be a mother, and she embraced this role with an abundance of selflessness, patience, kindness, compassion and a tsunami of love. Their first child, Regina, born on May 10th, 1951, lived but two days. She then went on to have four children: Phoebe Arcement Henderson, BS, MSN (UL instructor in nursing), Jeb Arcement, BS (science teacher, artist, and life coach), Kathy Arcement Hebert, MD, MMM, MPH, (cardiologist and medical educator), and Lee Arcement, MD, MPH (cardiologist and medical educator). The greatest gift she left her children with was the giving of her time and infinite unconditional love.

Following the birth of her fourth child, Ruby retired from teaching and devoted the rest of her life to rearing these children. Family remained the centerpiece of her life. Ruby regularly stretched her budget by sewing her children’s clothing, cooking farm to table from her father-in- law’s incredible garden, and transformed learning into fun games that her children relished. She enhanced her children’s wellbeing and self-esteem by supporting their participation in 4-H Club, Brownies, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, as well as countless school clubs, plays, band concerts, majorette, football and track.

An avid reader, Ruby enjoyed British and American literature, the classics, and suspenseful novels. She loved history, patriotic celebrations, current events, and traveling (travel she did!) to sixteen countries. Her most memorable trip was celebrating the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, in Europe, with author and World War II Museum creator, Stephen Ambrose. She marveled while touring Churchill’s War Rooms in London, and at seeing the Magna Carta in the British Museum. Traveling by ship across the English Channel in the early morning hours of June 6th, 1994, along with thirty veterans who had stormed these same beaches fifty years previously, proved mesmerizing as each soldier told their respective stories as the ship cruised along the Normandy beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. When Ruby was asked which country she visited was her favorite, without hesitation, she replied, “America, because it is the greatest country in the world”. Her domestic travels took her to almost every Civil War battlefield between Louisiana and Maryland. In 1963, she attended the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and filmed her three young children and husband reenacting General Pickett’s charge.

Ruby embraced the teachings of Christ, and her life reflected the grace, mercy and love of God. She “walked the walk” by living the commandments to “love your neighbor as yourself; no other commandment is greater” (Matt 22:39) and “so in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matt 7:12).

When asked to name the greatest invention during her life, Ruby immediately answered “Antibiotics, because they saved so many lives”. This response was in keeping with wanting to help others and always putting others first.

During the last eight years of her life, Ruby encountered many life-threatening illnesses including the development of vascular dementia. Yet, she never complained, having a love for living. She gallantly fought through each illness with admirable strength and resilience. Ruby was extremely appreciative of the care she received at Leonard Chabert, St Anne and Ochsner hospitals, along with home health, hospice, and numerous sitters. Following the loss of her home during Hurricane Ida, Ruby experienced numerous and serious health complications but was slowly nursed back to better health by her outstanding care giver, Iroda.

The last five months of her life were filled with excitement and due to the dedication of her latest live -in caregiver, Valencia Haywood. Since Ruby had never learned to drive, she would be provided near daily adventures including trips to Sonic for Ice cream, McDonald’s for caramel frappes, Golden Corral restaurant, in addition to the beauty parlor, and sightseeing all over south Louisiana. She thoroughly enjoyed the historical 2025 ten-inch snowfall commenting “well, I have never seen this before”.

This past April 10th, Ruby peacefully passed away in the comfort of her home with her daughter, Kathy, son-in law, and Valencia by her side.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 17th at St. Mary’s Church from 11am to noon, with visitation beginning at 10:30am to honor her life. A reception at her home will follow immediately after the service with all invited. A private burial will be scheduled at a later date.

Ruby is preceded in death by her husband, Nollie Arcement, father, Jerome Guidry, Sr., mother, Emma Collins Guidry, sisters Hazel Pelletier (Rene), Wilma Gadja (Joe), Charlette “Lottie” Friday (L.G.), Nellie Cheramie, brothers Jerome Guidry Jr. (Belle), Ezra “Buddy” Guidry, Joseph Neil “Snip” Guidry, daughter Regina Arcement, son-in law William Henderson.

Ruby is survived by her children, Phoebe Henderson (William, deceased), Jeb Arcement (Marie), Kathy Hebert (Druby), Lee Arcement, grandchildren Matthew and Nicholas Henderson, Alexandra “Lexi” Arcement Latiolais (Tracy), Lee, Nollie and Elleanna Arcement and great grandchildren Abigail, Lucus and Victoria Henderson.

Samart-Mothe Funeral Home is honored to serve the Arcement family.