RUBY NORRIS

NORRIS, Ruby Lee, 96, of Topping, Va., departed this life on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, after positively influencing the lives of many people. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Vernon W. Norris Sr.; also sisters, Rachel Bridger, Polly and Ruth Norris; and grandson, Matthew C. Norris. She was the daughter of the late Squire Rogers Norris and Ruby Hall Norris. She was born in Hartfield, Va., December 16, 1915. Those left to cherish her memory are her son, Vernon W. Norris Jr. (Carol); grandsons, Christian M. and Andrew W. (Shannon); and two great-grandsons, several nieces, nephews and many friends. Mrs. Norris graduated from Syringa High 1932 and from the University of Mary Washington in 1936. She did graduate work at William & Mary and received a Master of Humanities from the University of Richmond.

She began her distinguished 37-year career in education at Kilmarnock High and Elizabeth City Public schools. Her public school education was interrupted by WWII when the family moved to Philadelphia, Pa., where she helped found and was assistant principal of the first private high school, Columbia Institute, for returning war veterans.

After the war, she taught at Urbanna Elementary and Middlesex High School. The family moved to Richmond where she was an English and journalism teacher, newspaper and yearbook sponsor at John Marshall, George Wythe and Douglas Freeman High schools. She was awarded the Distinguished Award by Southern Interscholastic Press Association of Washington & Lee University for yearbook innovations. At the time of her education retirement, she had completed 10 years as area-wide creative writing and humanities consultant for both Richmond and Henrico schools. Mrs. Norris served as vice president and president of VA Association of Teachers of English for four years, a member of the National Council for Teachers of English, president of the Richmond chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society of outstanding women educators. She wrote articles for professional journals, lectured at national and state conventions. She was a contributing editor to Virginia Authors, editor and author of the Dialogue Series, books for classroom and teacher workshops describing creative writing techniques. Mrs. Norris was extremely active in the UMW Alumni Association; she was fundraising chair of the Richmond Chapter and president of the Golden Club. She was also a member of the Alumni Executive Center Campaign Committee. She established the "Ruby Lee Norris Scholarship" for a student majoring in English or French. Governor George Allen appointed her to a four-year term on the UMW Board of Visitors. She served seven years on the Alumni Association Board and 10 years on the UMW Foundation Board. UMW twice honored her contributions both to the college and her profession: first, in 1981 with the Outstanding Alumnus Award and in 2000 with the Outstanding Service Award. Other awards included a literary travel grant from NEA. Church and community contributions included choir member, Altar Guild and youth chair of Christ Church Parish, Middlesex and St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond. At Grace & Holy Trinity, Richmond, she served on the Child Care

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This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.