Obituary of Ruth Elaine Colbert

Ruth Elaine Lipscomb Colbert was born on May 16, 1929 in Cumberland County, to the union of John F. Lipscomb and Romaine Byrd Lipscomb. She departed this life on May 29, 2015 after a brief battle with cancer, at the Winchester Medical Center. Ruth graduated from the Cumberland Training School and attended Virginia Union University. Ruth accepted Christ at an early age and was a lifelong member of Sharon Baptist Church in Farmville until her death. She also became a watch care member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in St. Louis Virginia (Middleburg), taking an active role in church activities up until the time of her death. In 1995, Ruth retired from Loudoun County Public Schools, where she was a teacher's assistant; working directly with special needs students. She was patient, kind and dedicated to her students and the staff with whom she worked. Ruth was an active member of the Loudoun Education Association and the Virginia Education Association and served on the committee which helped to create a new classified evaluation for Loudoun County Public School classified employees. Ruth's happiest times were those spent with family, especially her siblings, attending annual reunions or various other family events. She enjoyed cooking and baking and would often bring rolls, cakes and pies to family functions and other events. She love gardening and always had an elaborate assortment of flowers blooming in the yard with the help of the green thumb she seemed to have. In her earlier years, Ruth was avid bowler. She enjoyed participating in and watching all sports, but she had a special talent for bowling. She was predeceased by her parents; son, Granland D. Lipscomb; sisters, Thelma Lipscomb and Hilda Dean; brothers, James Lipscomb, Claude Lipscomb and Garland Lipscomb. Ruth is survived by her devoted husband of 48 years, Hubert; daughter, Sheila (Andy) Alzate and granddaughter, Sofia Alzate all of Leesburg, VA; sisters, Mary Tuell of Triangle, VA; Doris (Joe) Phillips of Washington, DC; brother, William "Billy" Lipscomb of Woodbridge, VA; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.