Early Life in Georgia’s Red Clay
I first encountered the name Ruben Tarpley while tracing the origins of Brenda Lee, and what struck me immediately was how his story mirrored the tough soil of rural Georgia. Born on June 12, 1909, in Greene County, Ruben Lindsey Tarpley entered a world of farming families and endless fields. He spent his childhood in the Oglethorpe County area, listed in the 1910 census alongside parents and siblings. Life moved at the pace of plows and seasons. Ruben learned early that survival demanded calloused hands and steady resolve. Those red clay hills became his first classroom, teaching lessons in grit that he would later pass to his own children.
The Family Web That Held Him Steady
Ruben Tarpley wove his life into a large, interconnected Georgia clan. His parents, Richard Arthur Tarpley who lived from 1870 to 1929 and Annie Almand Tarpley who lived from 1874 to 1916, raised him in a household filled with brothers and sisters. At least eight or nine siblings shared that space. One sister, Edna Tarpley McElhannon born in 1911 and who passed in 1994, opened her home to him by the 1940 census. Others included Ruby Tarpley, Harry Tarpley, Ralph Tarpley, Ludie Frances Tarpley, Mabel C. Tarpley, and Thomas Marvin Tarpley. Each one anchored the family in the same soil, trading stories and support across sparse farms.
In 1941 Ruben married Annie Grayce Yarbrough in South Carolina. Annie, later known as Annie Grayce Tarpley Rainwater after remarriage, brought four children into the world with him. She worked long hours in cotton mills to keep the family afloat after his death. Their bond formed in modest clapboard homes without running water. I often imagine those evenings, the couple huddled with kids under one shared blanket, building warmth from sheer will.
Here is a clear table of Ruben Tarpley’s immediate family members:
| Relation | Name | Birth Year | Death Year | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Father | Richard Arthur Tarpley | 1870 | 1929 | Farmer in Greene County |
| Mother | Annie Almand Tarpley | 1874 | 1916 | Raised large rural family |
| Sister | Edna Tarpley McElhannon | 1911 | 1994 | Hosted Ruben in 1940 |
| Wife | Annie Grayce Yarbrough Tarpley Rainwater | 1921 | 2006 | Cotton mill worker, remarried after 1953 |
| Daughter | Linda Emmalee Tarpley | 1942 | 2010 | Worked in county government, married twice |
| Daughter | Brenda Mae Tarpley (Brenda Lee) | 1944 | – | Famous singer, encouraged by Ruben |
| Son | Randall Lindsey Tarpley | Unknown | – | Listed in 1978 marriage records |
| Child | Private child | Unknown | – | One of four total children |
Ruben also became grandfather to Jolie Shacklett and Julie Shacklett through Brenda Lee’s marriage to Ronnie Shacklett in 1963. Those grandchildren represent the next branch, carrying forward the Tarpley name into new chapters. Each family member carries a piece of Ruben’s quiet determination, like seeds scattered from the same sturdy tree.
Career Highlights and Financial Realities
The same left hand that ruled baseball helped Ruben Tarpley succeed. He pitched for the Army for 11 years in the 1920s and 1940s as a southpaw. Once, the 1930 census listed him in Honolulu, Hawaii. Those years improved his expertise and discipline but did not bring him fortune. After the Army, he worked in Atlanta and Lithonia doing carpentry and building.
We kept our finances tight. The family survived on manual labor. Ruben fractured his arm in 1951, giving up carpentry to pick cotton on fields. He returned to construction in 1953, seeking dependable work in a rarely rewarding world. He had no promotions or major accomplishments. Instead, he was respected as a reliable Army worker and athlete. He lived like a fastball thrown straight and accurate, powerful but never seeking wealth.
The Timeline That Defined His Path
To understand Ruben Tarpley fully, I mapped his journey across key dates and numbers. Here is an extended timeline in table form for clarity:
| Year | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1909 | Birth | June 12 in Greene County, Georgia |
| 1910 | Census listing | Lives with family in Oglethorpe County area |
| 1920s-1940s | Army service | 11 years as left-handed baseball pitcher |
| 1930 | Census | Posted in Honolulu, Hawaii |
| 1940 | Census | Resides in Greene County with sister Edna |
| 1941 | Marriage | Weds Annie Grayce Yarbrough in South Carolina |
| 1942 | First child born | Linda Emmalee Tarpley on March 3 in Atlanta |
| 1944 | Second child born | Brenda Mae Tarpley on December 11 in Atlanta |
| 1940s-1950s | Additional children | Randall Lindsey Tarpley and one private child |
| 1951 | Arm injury | Shifts to cotton picking labor |
| 1953 | Death | May 27 in Atlanta construction accident at age 43 or 44 |
| 1953 | Burial | Eastview Cemetery in Conyers, Rockdale County |
These 44 years trace a man who moved from farm boy to soldier to provider, each chapter marked by exact dates that ground his legacy in real time.
Personal Relationships and Lasting Bonds
Tarpley was close to his wife and children despite hardships. He fostered Brenda’s singing early on, sending her to local talent events. Linda Emmalee worked in county government and married McFalls and Hutchison twice. Records show Randall Lindsey Tarpley as a son who continued the name. Annie reared the four children alone after 1953, but the private child is hidden.
Families endured poverty. In modest homes, kids shared beds. Ruben struggled with drinking and fatherhood, yet his love showed in little ways. Annie remarried and worked in the mill to support everyone after his death. Brenda Lee’s success was built on those relationships. Ruben was Jolie and Julie Shacklett’s grandfather, connecting generations.
I often think about how one man’s presence rippled like a stone in Georgia clay, shaping voices and lives after he died.
FAQ
What made Ruben Tarpley notable in music history?
Ruben Tarpley earned his place as the father of Brenda Lee. Born in 1909 and gone by 1953, he encouraged her early performances and modeled resilience amid poverty. His 11 years of Army service and construction work provided the backdrop for her rise.
How many children did Ruben Tarpley have?
Ruben Tarpley and Annie Grayce had four children total. Linda Emmalee arrived in 1942, Brenda Mae in 1944, Randall Lindsey followed, and one child stayed private in records. Each one navigated life after his early death.
Where and when did Ruben Tarpley pass away?
Ruben Tarpley died on May 27, 1953, in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. A construction accident involving a dropped hammer led to his hospitalization at Saint Josephs, where doctors discovered a brain abscess. He was 43 or 44 years old.
Who were Ruben Tarpley’s parents and siblings?
His parents were Richard Arthur Tarpley and Annie Almand Tarpley. He had at least eight or nine siblings, including Edna Tarpley McElhannon who hosted him in 1940. The family stayed rooted in Greene and nearby counties.
What was Ruben Tarpley’s military role?
He served 11 years in the United States Army as a skilled left-handed baseball pitcher. Records from the 1930 census show him in Honolulu during one assignment. His pitching stood out in competitive military games.
How did Ruben Tarpley’s death affect his family?
His 1953 passing left the family near penniless. Annie Grayce took cotton mill jobs to raise the four children. Brenda Lee later spoke of the hardship, yet credited her father with sparking her love for music. The grandchildren, including Jolie Shacklett and Julie Shacklett, carry the story onward.
