Georgina Ruley Parks

Georgina Ruley Parks was a charismatic, beautiful woman much beloved by her family and friends. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, on January 7, 1949, to Helen Logsdon Ruley and George Woodrow Ruley, she grew up on Swigert Avenue among neighbors who became friends and friends who became family. She graduated in 1967 from Bryan Station High School, where she was an all-state violinist. In 1971, Georgina graduated from the University of Kentucky where she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority. Following graduation, she married Roger Davis Parks, also a graduate of UK, and moved to Alexandria, VA where she left us on October 16, 2014 due to cancer. We remember her for her faith, hope, and love lived out so courageously before us.

Georgina was everyone’s best friend. You did not have to earn her love. Throughout her life she nurtured friendships from her childhood, her high school, her sorority Kappa Delta, her colleagues from her speech-language pathology work, and from her business. Nowhere could you better count her friends than at the yearly Derby party she and Roger hosted in the DC area for Kentucky ex-pats, neighbors, and other dear friends. Her photo albums burst open with memories of our happy times with her. We remember her for her unconditional friendship and beautiful smile, the joy we felt when we were with her.

Georgina worked for the Alexandria City Public Schools from 1972 through 1986 as a Speech-Language Pathologist where she created innovative strategies and techniques for working with young children with disabilities. In 1986, she founded The Clinical Connection, a quarterly idea source for Speech-Language Pathologists working with the young communicator and served as its editor and publisher. Georgina and her husband Roger partnered in building American Advertising Distributors of Northern Virginia, a direct mail advertising agency, where she served as Vice President for 35 years. She has been an active volunteer in Alexandria's Chamber of Commerce and a strong advocate for women in business and professions. A composer and pianist who played only for her family’s enjoyment, she will be remembered as a loving full-time caregiver for her parents for 14 years.

Georgina is survived by her devoted husband Roger; her loving sister, Diane Ruley Williams (Ben) of San Diego, CA as well as a wide circle of friends and cousins from Virginia, her beloved Kentucky, and throughout the United States.

On Thursday, November 6, 2014, services will be held at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria (2932 King Street, Alexandria, VA) at 2:45 pm. Following the service, family and friends are invited to a celebration honoring Georgina on the Cherry Blossom Riverboat (Alexandria City Marina, Cameron & Union Streets, Alexandria, VA) at 6 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be sent to the ACT for Alexandria Community Fund (1421 Prince Street, Suite 220, Alexandria 22314 or www.actforalexandria.org) which distributes grants to deserving nonprofit organizations throughout Alexandria.