Ruby’s one-woman collection of Rappahannock memorabilia, filling to overflowing

Ruby’s one-woman collection of Rappahannock memorabilia, filling to overflowing the three-room museum, together with the dignified demeanor of its curator, tour guide, docent and sole fundraiser brought national press attention to Ruby and to her home town. There were countless national magazine stories about Ruby and her museum, television coverage, and the Associated Press circulated a wire story nationwide (which brought a visitor all the way from Florida, Ruby would recall, just to see the museum,

after which she got

back in her car and

drove back to Florida).

But, none of this turned the head of our home-grown ^ celebrity, who remained the

same quiet and private person

she had always been.

You never heard Ruby say

"look what I have done"

and she had little

patience with those who did.

Self praise was a stranger

to Ruby; her accomplishments

spoke for her.

Ruby did not suffer

fools gladly nor did she ever

call a spade a "garden implement.” You need never wonder what Ruby thought of something you had said or done

that maybe you shouldn't have. Given the opportunity, she would tell you. And, she never put folks in categories. She would have no part of the bom here/come here stuff. For as much as she cherished heritage and history, she took pleasure from appropriate change and new people. That was reflected in her manner in welcoming visitors to her museum and visitors responded accordingly. A first visitor, stopping in out of curiosity would return again and again, as much to visit with Ruby as to view the museum exhibits. Countless one-time visitors became regular correspondents with Ruby and contributors to the museum.

It was a special day for Ruby when a museum visitor from one of the western states signed her guest registry; she had now had visitors from every one of the 50 states. And 24 foreign countries, she would be quick to add.

She attributed her success