Virginia Dare Rufin

Virginia Dare Rufin, of Metairie, Louisiana, is dancing with the angels. She passed away peacefully at her home in DeLimon Place on June 28, 2023, surrounded by family members and friends. She will be remembered by many for her signature smile, her unending energy and her impeccable style. She was a loyal and cherished member of Munholland Methodist Church for the past few years and Trinity Episcopal Church prior to that.

Virginia Dare was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana where she lived with her parents, Denis Edward Rufin Jr and Elvina Loeffel Rufin along with her brother, Denis Edward Rufin III in the Garden District. Virginia Dare graduated from Isidore Newman High School (class of ’54) before completing an Associate in Arts degree from Stephens College (class of ’56), a Bachelor of Arts at Southern Methodist University (class of ’58), and finally a Master of Science at Tulane University in 1964. She was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority.

Her professional career saw her work as a buyer for DH Holmes as well as a short stint in fashion design before starting her main career as a Speech Therapist when she started Rufin Speech & Language Center. She passionately continued this work until 2021, helping and saving numerous patients over the years. She was also the head of the Speech Pathology Department at St Mary’s Dominican College. She was a respected and admired pillar in her field.

She was an active member of the Orleans Club, Le Petit Salon and Southern Yacht Club.

Virginia Dare was a devout Christian all her life. She was very active at Trinity Episcopal Church for years, until she discovered the most welcoming family of Munholland Methodist Church during Covid, where she happily remained until her passing. She sang in the choir, was a Lector Reader and belonged to numerous organizations like Cursillo and the P.E.O Sisterhood where she was also very involved. She was extremely generous with her time and care. She touched so many people. She worked closely with the New Orleans archdiocese and the New Orleans Seminary to help non-native English-speaking priests perfect their diction.

Besides the church, Virginia Dare loved to travel. She spent several years living in Redondo Beach, California, spent about 6 months living in Europe with her brother’s family who were living in Belgium at the time. During this time, she discovered her love of skiing. This moved her to become very active in the New Orleans Ski Club upon her return, organizing and leading adult groups and children’s groups to various mountain resorts around the country. Her travels took her across North America, throughout Europe as well as to one of her favorite places, the Holy Land. Along the way, she met so many wonderful people who have remained friends to this day. Organizing was one of her talents and she put this to good use for many of her social, religious and ski groups. In her later years, she enjoyed all that New Orleans had to offer with her friend, Dabney Ewin.

Her friends and anyone who knew her, will always remember her infectious positive energy and joie de vivre. Her positive attitude was always there to help lift their spirits. Family, friends and church were of the utmost importance to her. She was always ready to help. She was especially proud of her grand-niece, Claire Rufin and supported her in all her endeavors.

She loved watching the Saints, loved dancing, hated red gravy and her face would light up the moment a party was mentioned. She never met a stranger. In true Rufin fashion, she would spark up a conversation with anyone she encountered.

Virginia Dare is survived by her niece, Christina Yollande Rufin, her two nephews, Denis Reinhard and Alexander Ludwig Rufin, her grand-niece, Claire Annalee Rufin, as well as all her many Rufin and Riecke cousins who all played a very important part in her life, particularly Peggy and Ray Riecke as well as Betty Champagne.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Denis Edward Rufin Jr and Elvina Loeffel Rufin; her brother Denis Edward Rufin III.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Munholland Methodist Church located at 1201 Metairie Road, Metairie, LA 70005. Visitation starts at 10 AM, service to follow at 10:45 AM. Reception with family and friends from 11:45 AM to 1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider a donation to Ochsner Cancer Center, 1514 Jefferson Hwy STE 1E617 Jefferson, LA 70121 or online at giving.ochsner.org