Ever since she and her husband moved into the Odenville area in the 1960s, Ruby Glenn Bodiford has shown her true colors as a servant to her community.  

While she passed away earlier this year, her contributions to the area did not go unnoticed. Shortly after her passing, Bodiford’s family was notified that she had been selected as the Outstanding Senior Citizen of 2011 by the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

“It was such a privilege for all of us,” Bodiford’s daughter, Paula Herrin, said. “We just really were thrilled and honored to accept this award for her. She’s always given herself as a whole, and she’s always taught us to give to others and have a heart of love and caring.”

Bodiford was nominated by 10 different people across the county, who may have known her as a charter member of Calvary Baptist Church in Odenville, or as the manager of the Odenville Senior Center for the past 23 years.

“They served hot meals every day and she had programs planned for the seniors every day,” Herrin said. “They also had ceramics and quilting at her center, and she always made sure that everyone was taken care of.”

During the holiday season, she also oversaw food baskets and ensured the success of the Christmas parade, taking pride in serving those around her.

When not spending time with members of the community, Bodiford had monthly meals with her brother and three sisters still living in the area. She also wrote a book in 2006 which outlined her childhood with her parents, her life with her husband, and the stories of her children growing up.

Throughout her life, Bodiford’s faith and her family prompted her to care for those less fortunate.

“[My parents] had such love for each other and their family that they were just trying to set an example for us as young children, and still, to give us the example to live our lives and be happy and make sure that we give others the same opportunity,” Herrin said. “If we could just be a little bit like her, it would fulfill our lives.”