Rubye Beatrice Hunt was born Monday, April 4, 1921 to Jeanetta and Joe Hunt, in Vivian (McDowell County), West Virginia. She was the middle of two sisters, Margaret and Josephine.
Raised early on in Vivian, the coal town of the Peerless Coal & Coke Company and later in Keystone, WV, Rubye displayed an inclination toward academic studies, public speaking and music. As recently as 2013 she publicly recited a poem called, “Daffodils,” by William Wordsworth. She remembered the poem (as well as all of its words) from her experience winning a 2nd Place award for her recitation of it at West Virginia State University while in the 11th grade. Rubye graduated from Kimball High School in 1941. As a result of her earlier visit, she passed on attending WV State, opting instead for Bluefield State College, an HBCU in Bluefield, WV, where she graduated in 1945 with a B.S. in Secondary Education.
After college, Rubye was offered a teaching job in Little Washington, NC. She taught English there for five years. During a trip to New York City in the summer of 1951 she met Robert Broom. In the fall of that year she enrolled in the master’s degree program in English at NYU. She received her Master of Arts in Education in 1959. Rubye and Robert remained dance partners in their circle of mutual friends until 1960 when they were married. In 1961 they had a son, Robert, Jr.
In 1963 Rubye began her work at Wadleigh Junior High School in Harlem NYC, where she served as Dean of Girls and taught eighth grade English until her retirement to Plant City, FL. Rubye and Robert resided in Plant City from 1979 until 2009. During her retirement in P.C., Rubye was an active community member serving on the Library Board, Improvement League and NAACP local chapter.
Rubye and Bob left Plant City in 2009 to be close to their son Bobby and his wife, Maureen. In March of 2013 after Robert’s death, the family moved Rubye to Lieberman Center for Health and Rehabilitation, where she lived peacefully and comfortably until her transition. In 2016 at age 95, Rubye was co-author of an article that was published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association. She remained as sharp and active, both mentally and physically, as her body and mind would allow until the end.
Survivors left to mourn her loss include her devoted son, Robert Broom, Jr. and daughter in-law, Maureen; two grandchildren Coleman W. Broom and Nicole F. Broom; sister, Josephine Johnson and a host of nieces, nephews, descendants and loving family friends.
In this life you have been our strong, graceful and humble queen. We will always love you.
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