Rubye Ellen (Beaver) Hines

Rubye Ellen Beaver Hines of Roanoke, VA, died peacefully, surrounded by family, on May 5, 2023. 

A celebration of her life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 25, 2023, at Stover Funeral Home in Strasburg, VA.  Burial will follow at Toms Brook Cemetery.

Rubye was born March 27, 1930, in Oranda, Shenandoah County, VA.  She was the daughter of the late Charles Alfred and Anna Mary Hodson Beaver, and the widow of Joseph M. Hines.  Her brother, Robert L. Beaver and her sister, Norma B. Peer, predeceased her. 

Rubye graduated from Strasburg High School in 1946. She attended Madison College (now JMU) for one year before beginning her career as a bookkeeper and secretary.  Her first job was with R. E. Stickley & Son, in Strasburg, VA, where she learned the Ford Motor Company bookkeeping system. In 1950, she moved to Washington, DC, and worked as a bookkeeper for an optical company for five years.  After she returned to Strasburg to work as a clerk at Crestliner Corp., Rubye met Joe Hines. They married in 1957 and she returned to Washington.
For six years, Rubye was a secretary in Rep. Steven Derounian (R-NY) office. She left in 1963 to start her family.  Joe died unexpectedly in 1969 leaving Rubye with two small daughters. In 1970, she returned to Capitol Hill to work for Rep. John Marsh (D-VA) as he completed his term and then for his successor, Rep. J. Kenneth Robinson (R-VA) for three years.  For a time, she worked as a temporary secretary to have more time with her children. In 1976, she accepted a position as executive secretary for American Movers Conference in Arlington, VA, from which she retired in 1994. During her retirement, Rubye volunteered at the American Red Cross headquarters in Washington, DC.  She lived in Arlington, VA, for more than forty years.

Rubye enjoyed reading, writing, cooking, pastel painting, musical concerts, gardening, attending the theater and traveling. Her traveling companions were often her sister, Norma Peer, her aunt, Lorraine Strosnider, and her sister-in-law, Erma Hines. However, she often traveled alone on escorted tours which included visits to many national parks and seven European countries as well as a train trip across Canada and a bus trip up the coast of California.  

In 2006, she moved to Roanoke, VA, to be near her daughter, Alison. Rubye was very happy in her home there with its beautifully landscaped backyard. She said she felt like she was living in a park. Her greatest wish was to continue to live in her own home and with help she was able to do so until just six weeks before her death.

In her final years, Rubye worked the daily crossword puzzle in The Roanoke Times and enjoyed playing word games and listening to audio books on her computer.  The Roanoke Times published 13 of her short essays over the years.  She felt she had been fortunate overall and had lived a fulfilling life, made complete by her close relationships with each of her daughters and granddaughters.

Rubye is survived by her daughters, Susan Hines (Peter McClintock) of Elkton, VA, and Alison O’Brien (Daniel) of Roanoke, VA.  She leaves five granddaughters, Veronica Hall (Brad), Roanoke, VA, Sabrina Kramer Haynes (Kevin), Leesburg, VA, Savannah Kramer Shannon (Liam), Denver, CO, Rebecca Archer (Ari Rickman) Houston, TX, Lucy Archer (Joseph Sukinik) Indiana, PA, and great-grandchildren, Layla Hall, Isaiah Hall, and Holden Haynes. She is also survived by a niece, Robin B. Hoover (Gary) of Woodstock, VA, and two nephews, Michael Peer (Sue) of Florence, AZ, and John Peer (Tracy) of Sterling, VA, along with numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews. A third nephew, David Peer, is deceased.

You may sign the guestbook and submit condolences to the family online at www.stoverfuneralhome.com. 

Stover Funeral Home and Crematory, Strasburg, VA is serving the family of Rubye Ellen Beaver Hines. 

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