Doris H. Ruggera

Doris Ruggera, born January 31, 1940 in Victoria, Virginia, died on June 12, 2021 in Richmond, Virginia. Doris was predeceased by her husband Paul Ruggera, her parents Willie & Annie Hankins, her sister Mildred Bayne, her brother Harry Hankins & his son & her nephew Eddie Hankins. She is survived by her brother Charles Hankins (Carolyn), nieces & nephews Wanda Lemaster-Dotson (Tim), Stuart Bayne (Kathy), Allison H. Roberts (Barrett), Melissa H. Cottrell (Joe), Emily H. Cylc (Eddie) & Rebecca H. Rynders (Chris), plus numerous great nieces and nephews. Doris graduated Valedictorian from Victoria High School in 1958. She received a B.S. Degree in Education from Radford College in 1963 and her Masters in Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1969. Doris started her career as a Business Teacher at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Virginia, then relocated to Fairfax County where she taught at Annandale & JEB Stuart High Schools until she retired in 1995. She maintained contact with many of her fellow educators in her retirement years. Doris met Paul in Annandale in 1970 and they married on July 10, 1971 and settled in McLean, Virginia. Doris was a member of McLean Baptist Church where she served as Sunday School Teacher and Deacon. She loved her Lord and served Him faithfully as long as her health permitted. Doris enjoyed traveling with her husband Paul. They visited many countries including Canada, the Caribbean Islands, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Iceland, England, France, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Greece, Turkey, the Netherlands and the last being The Holy Land of Israel. Doris suffered from Alzheimer’s disease during the last years of her life, but thanks to the loving care and patience provided by her husband Paul, Doris remained active and connected to her church, family and friends during much of this time. Doris will be remembered by her family as a very special sister and aunt with a big heart for missions who was loving and giving. She loved her church family and gave regularly to their missions. She and Paul graciously opened their home annually in the 90s to her Hankins nieces’ Chamber Singers for sleepovers in early December after performing at the Ellipse around the National Christmas Tree. They hosted & provided airport transportation for Charles’ missionary team to Ghana, Africa. They financed Wanda and Tim’s purchase of the family farm to fulfill the dream of Wanda’s deceased brother Eddie. The family would like to especially thank the kind nurses and caregivers from BrightStar Care who lovingly provided home health services to Doris in McLean to assist Paul and replace him at his untimely death in May. Thanks as well to Heartland’s Hospice and Morningside in the West End nursing facility for their care for Doris in Richmond. Church service will be held on July 10th (Paul & Doris’s 50th wedding anniversary) at McLean Baptist church (see address below). Visitation will be at 2:00 and church service will be at 3:00. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to McLean Baptist Church at 1367 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, Va. 220101 or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America at 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th floor, New York, NY 10001