[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 30, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING MRS. RUBY BATTS ARCHIE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. THOMAS S.P. PERRIELLO

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 29, 2010

  Mr. PERRIELLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of a legend, a 
lion, and a leader, Mrs. Ruby Batts Archie, who died on Saturday, June 
26.
  Born February 9, 1934, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Ruby Batts was 
the only daughter of Helen Louise Batts. She married Cephus N. Archie 
on November 23, 1961, and they enjoyed forty-eight years of marriage. 
She was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Rocky Mount, 
North Carolina and Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia, 
where she received both her bachelors and masters degrees in English. 
She also received an honorary Doctorate of Literary Letters from 
Virginia University of Lynchburg (VA).
  Mrs. Archie was a retired educator who served for 37 years in the 
Danville Public School System, including time as the Head of the 
English Departments at both Langston High School and George Washington 
High School. These decades of hands-on experience and leadership in the 
schools made her an invaluable advocate for education throughout her 
career in local government. She was a former Mayor for the City of 
Danville from 1998 to 2000, had previously served as Vice Mayor from 
1996-1998, and at the time of her death was a member of the Danville 
City Council with 16 years of service.
  Mrs. Archie worked extensively as a member of community and national 
organizations, not only on educational issues, but also mental health, 
business development, and community service. Her memberships are too 
many to list, but one especially close to her heart was Alpha Kappa 
Alpha Sorority, where she was a sitting member of its international 
board of directors and held numerous positions in her chapter, Alpha 
Phi Omega, including president and treasurer, and in regional and 
national sorority committees. Additionally, she was a presiding officer 
of the Order of the Eastern Star; a member of the board of directors of 
both the Boys and Girls Club and the Salvation Army; and a faithful 
member of Loyal Baptist Church where she served as a former chairman of 
the Board of Education and Sunday School teacher and currently served 
as the chairman of the Deaconess Board. Mrs. Archie was deeply 
concerned for Southside Virginia's economic future, having watched too 
many of her finest students leave the region never to return, and 
worked to create jobs beyond Southside's traditional textiles and 
tobacco. Her expertise was recognized by Governors George Allen and 
James Gilmore, who appointed her to serve on the Southside Business and 
Education Commission from 1995 to 2003.
  Those who worked closely with Mrs. Archie throughout the years have 
expressed deep sorrow for her loss and gratitude for her innumerable 
contributions to the community. She was endlessly dedicated, 
dependable, and generous of her time and talents, and she held others 
to her high standards of hard work, integrity, and citizenship. 
Students and colleagues recall her warm smile, her style and graceful 
carriage, and her zeal for proper usage of the English language. In her 
work in the City Council, she was calmly bipartisan, always striving to 
build bridges. She was an effective representative of her constituents, 
a tireless educator, and an inspiration to countless individuals whose 
lives she touched.
  Mrs. Archie was just days away from retirement when she died last 
weekend, and had hoped to devote her time to two of her greatest 
passions, travel and enjoying the company of her grandchildren. Because 
her passing was far too soon, she was unable to savor this well-earned 
retirement--a truth emblematic of a woman whose life was full of future 
projects and plans, and who believed her work was never done.
  Ruby is survived by her mother, Helen; her devoted husband, Cephus; 
her children Keith, Trina, and Carla; her grandsons Cedric, Deondre, 
and Milek; and her cousins Charles and Barbara. On behalf of Virginia's 
5th District, I honor the passing of one of our finest public servants, 
and ask that her legacy be remembered for years to come.

                          ____________________