Ernestine Ruby Blackwater

SACATON - Ernestine Ruby Blackwater, 91, of Sacaton died on Dec. 28, 2015, at Caring House. Her husband had died on the same date 47 years earlier.

Visitation will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday at the District 3 Service Center. The funeral will be at 8 a.m. Monday at First Presbyterian Church in Sacaton. Burial will be in West Blackwater Cemetery.

Mrs. Blackwater was born on July 10, 1924, in Sacaton and was a daughter of Mary and Juan P. Jose. She was a homemaker and loved the Phoenix Suns, watching western movies and being with her family and all her grandchildren. She helped those in the community who needed it, worked in the cotton fields to provide for her children and cleaned the old Presbyterian Church every Saturday.

She took care of her neighbor Frances and her dad before he died at age 98. She loved the Lord, was always reading her Bible and was very strong in her faith.

Survivors include three daughters, Loranda Saxton of Pennsylvania, Renalda Blackwater of Phoenix and Cheryl Blackwater of Sacaton; two sons, Lee R. Blackwater Jr. of Phoenix and Merlin Blackwater of San Carlos; 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Sr.; two daughters, Sandra Blackwater and Gloria Jackson; a brother, Thurman Santos; two sisters, Eleanor Jay and Ida Manuel; four grandsons, Christopher Saxton, Ronald and Raldon L. Blackwater and Milo Honhungva; and a great-grandchild, Autumn Lee Young.

J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel is in charge of arrangements.