Church Mother Spotlight: Her Story Lives Here

By The People’s Paper MS

Remembering Mother Dear: The Faith and Legacy of Ruby Sellers

In the Mary Grove community, many remember Ruby Sellers not only as a faithful church member, but as a praying woman whose love for God, family, and community shaped generations.

In the community, she was “Ma Dear.” To her family, she was simply “Mother Dear.”

Her granddaughter, Demethous “Dee” Chambliss, says some of her earliest memories of her grandmother revolve around prayer, family stories, and lessons that still guide her life today.

One story Mother Dear loved to tell happened when Dee was young.

“I fell off the front porch doing what I loved: eating a piece of meat,” Dee said with a laugh. “I broke my left arm in a very unusual way. The doctors were worried about amputation.”

Dee remembers how her grandmother later described that night in the hospital.

“She told me how hard she and my mother prayed at Baptist Hospital,” Dee said. “And how she praised the Lord up and down those hospital halls when I was out of danger.”

Years later, when Dee accompanied her grandmother back to the same hospital after knee surgery, nurses remembered her.

“They examined my arm and kept saying how amazed they were at how well it healed,” Dee recalled. “As we walked down those big steps leaving the hospital, I felt so special and Mother Dear was thanking God with every step.”

Faith, Dee said, was not just something Ruby Sellers practiced on Sundays. It was woven into everyday life.

Before Dee was even old enough for Head Start, Mother Dear would sit her beside her while writing letters to her sisters.

“I thought I was writing too,” Dee said. “My page would just be full of M’s because it looked like what she was writing. She would put my paper in the envelope and mail it with hers to Chicago or California.”

Ruby Sellers grew up in the Collins and Rankin County areas as the oldest child of Rev. Dr. D.B. Barnes, a pastor and theologian. Traveling with her father to church events and mission work, she learned early the importance of studying the Bible.

“Papa encouraged her to learn the Word for herself,” Dee said.

That love of learning stayed with her throughout life.

Although she briefly attended Tougaloo College, she left to care for her family when her mother became seriously ill. Still, her curiosity and dedication to study never stopped.

“We still have pages of her Bible study notes,” Dee said. “She loved learning and teaching.”

At Mary Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Mother Dear’s commitment was unmatched.

“Rarely did the church doors open when she wasn’t there,” Dee said. “If there was a program, she was going and usually that meant we all were going.”

Sometimes the family would stop along the way to pick up another church member or their offering.

“She wanted Mary Grove represented well everywhere,” Dee said.

Her dedication went even further.

“She didn’t believe in being a pew member,” Dee said. “If you were a member of the church, you had to be doing something.”

Prayer was the foundation of Ruby Sellers’ life.

Many in the Mary Grove community remember the times she prayed for them. Dee says those prayers left a lasting impact.

“Sometimes I still start my prayers with her favorite word,” she said. “Master.”

One lesson her grandmother shared has guided Dee throughout life.

When Dee once asked her to pray about a big move to Texas, Mother Dear asked her a question instead.

“She said, ‘What are you asking God to do?’”

When Dee admitted she didn’t know, her grandmother responded with wisdom she has never forgotten.

“She told me, ‘God cannot guide a stationary ship. Get moving and ask Him to order your steps.’”

At home, Mother Dear’s faith showed up in everyday routines, Dee recalled. 

Grandchildren were required to memorize the 23rd Psalm and The Lord’s Prayer, and every child had to recite a Bible verse before eating.

“My uncle’s favorite was the shortest one in the Bible,” Dee said with a smile. “‘Jesus wept.’”

Music was another important part of family life.

Summer evenings often meant sitting on the porch singing hymns together. During colder months, the gatherings moved inside near the fireplace.

Mother Dear kept two record albums that played often in the house.

Rev. C.L. Franklin’s preaching was for listening.  Mahalia Jackson’s “Upper Room” album was for cleaning.

“One of her favorite songs was ‘The Lord Is Blessing Me Right Now,’” Dee said. “The last song she asked me to sing for her was ‘If It Had Not Been for the Lord on My Side.’”

Beyond faith and music, Mother Dear also taught practical life lessons.

She planted gardens, raised animals, and made sure her grandchildren learned how to work.

“She planted rows of cucumbers for herself and rows for us,” Dee said. “If we helped pick hers, she would help pick ours.”

At the time, Dee admits, the children were embarrassed to be seen out picking cucumbers.

“But when we had money for cheerleading camp or clothes at McAlphin’s,” she laughed, “we weren’t embarrassed then.”

More than anything, Ruby Sellers believed in helping others.

“She shared what she had with the community: vegetables, groceries, clothes, information, and grace,” Dee said.

Many of her sayings still guide her family today.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

“Y’all do right and stick together.”

“Lead from where you are.”

And one she never forgot:

“The dog that brings a bone carries a bone.”

Near the end of her life, Dee witnessed a moment that perfectly reflected her grandmother’s deep faith.

While recovering from surgery in the hospital, Mother Dear became convinced it was time for Bible study. Hearing hospital intercom codes like “Mark 2:2,” she believed scriptures were being called out for her to read.

With Bible and notebook in hand, she sat in the hallway searching each verse.

“I knew those codes were for hospital staff,” Dee said. “But she thought they were scriptures she needed to look up and explain.”

Watching her grandmother search the Word even in that moment left a powerful impression.

“If only I could be so godly,” Dee reflected, “that when I’m not fully in control of my mind, I’m still seeking His voice and His Word.”

For Dee and many others, Ruby Sellers’ legacy is clear.

“Many times in my life I find myself saying, ‘My grandmother used to say…’”

And in those moments, Mother Dear’s wisdom and faith live on.