Ruth Elaine Stephenson Hitaffer, age 92, went to sing praises to her Lord on April 27, 2018. She was a resident of Fox Trail Senior Center, Stephens City, Virginia.
Ruth was born on June 21, 1925 to Robert Dudley Stephenson Sr. and Alice McCartor Stephenson in Shattuck, Oklahoma. Her first home was northwest of Darrouzett, Texas, Lipscomb County, where her parents homesteaded on a section of land. In 1935 her family moved to Perryton, Texas, Ochiltree County, to acquire a better education for their children. Ruth had two brothers, Keith Max Stephenson and Robert Dudley Stephenson Jr.
Ruth married William M. Hitaffer “Hitop” on October 4, 1953. They had four children, Madeline, William “Billy”, Michael, and Cheryl. Her husband passed away in 1985, and she passed, 33 years later, on the same date.
Ruth graduated from Perryton High School in 1942 and then from Texas State College for Women, Denton, Texas, in 1947 with a degree in Music and English. She taught in different areas of Texas before moving to Washington DC in 1951, where she worked for the United States Government as a secretary and as a switchboard operator for the Albon Towers Hotel. This is where she met and was courted by William Hitaffer "Hitop".
Together, in 1969, with their children, they moved to Gore, Virginia, and owned and operated "Hitops" Grocery Store. Later she returned to government work, and retired from the Central Intelligence Agency, United States Government.
Ruth was a member of Hebron Baptist Church in Gore, VA and later Calvary Baptist Church in Winchester, VA.
She loved helping people rather it was taking them to a Doctor’s appointment or just sitting with them when they came home from the Hospital. She also was a big advocate of health and nutrition, always willing to help anyone get well through nutrition and supplements. And was all about removing sugar from the diet, until later in life when she loved her cold stone ice cream and chocolate cake.
She is survived by her children, William M. Hitaffer "Billy", Michael Hitaffer and Cheryl Hitaffer, nine grandchildren, Samanatha Elkins, Melissa Rogers, Adam Whitacre, Kristi Boknenkamp, William Lee Hitaffer, Marsha Hitaffer, Gabriel and Nathaniel Hitaffer, and 12 great grandchildren, Laura, Sarah, Jon, Anna ,Caroline ,Rachel, Allen, Leah, Ashley, Kayla, McKenzie and Dylan. Also, many cousins and family throughout Texas.
She is predeceased by her husband, William M. Hitaffer (April 27,1985), one daughter, Madeline Hitaffer Whitacre (January 1, 2018), one grandchild, Amanda Hitaffer, her parents, Robert Dudley Stephenson (1972) and Alice McCartor Stephenson (1989), and her two brothers, Keith Max Stephenson (1972), Robert Dudley Stephenson Jr. M.D. (2013)
The family will receive friends on Tuesday May 1, 2018 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Jones Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. with a viewing one hour prior to the service at Jones Funeral Home on Pleasant Valley Road in Winchester Virginia.
Memorial contributions may be made in Ruth’s name to Hebron Baptist Church, Gore, Virginia, Calvary Baptist Church, Winchester, Virginia, or Blue Ridge Hospice.

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