A Legacy of LOVE!

Ruta Alexis Doster Walker was born on April 21, 1947. She was the first of twelve children – ten boys and one other girl.  She loved her siblings with her whole heart and there was nothing she would not do for them.   

She attended elementary, middle and high school at Winchester Avenue in Monroe, NC.  Upon graduation in June 1965, Ruta joined the United States Marine Corps and left Monroe to attend Basic Training in Parris Island, SC on September 11, 1965.  Her life was completely changed, in a good way, after joining the Marine Corps.  She proudly served 28 years in the Corps and was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant.  Duty stations included Camp LeJeune, NC, Barstow, CA, San Diego, CA, Camp Pendleton, CA, Washington Navy Yard, Quantico, VA, and Ft. Meade, MD. Overseas duty stations included Germany and Denmark. She retired honorably on May 1, 1993.

Her post high school education included her attending Strayer Business College in Washington, DC, the University of the District of Columbia, and Prince George’s Community College in Largo, MD.  Her majors were Business Management and The Aging.  Ruta worked hard and took great pride in the work that she did, including organizations such as Solar Aircraft, Ingersoll Rand, Berns Mortgage Association, Frito Lay, The United States Information Agency, The Youth Council, and Texcom, Inc.  She spent the last of her career with the Prince George’s County Public School System and officially retired on July 1, 2010 to help care for her first grandson, Bryce Leighton Lomax.  She was doubly overjoyed when her second grandson, Teagan McKinley Lomax was born in 2014. Being a grandmother was by far her most rewarding charge. 

On July 3, 1971, she met her sweetheart, Stephen Brandon Walker and they were married on April 14, 1974.  This union brought forth a baby girl, her daddy’s namesake, Stefanie Brandon Walker.  

Ruta really loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  She joined Langford Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal in Monroe, NC when she was young.  In March 1984, she and her family joined Queen’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Beltsville, MD. She worshiped the Lord with reverence continuously to show herself approved only by God.  She sang in the Chapel Choir, the Mass Choir, and the Combined Choir.  Ruta served as a Chairperson of Witness Committee, Chairperson of Pastor Parish Relations Committee, and Chairperson of the Capital Campaign Committee.  She attended The Lifestyle Sunday School Class and would sometimes stand in as class leader.

Her favorite scripture was Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Her favorite hymn was “Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee”.  All these things she engaged in because she wanted to be closer to the Lord and she knew she wanted to make her way to heaven by trusting and standing on God’s promises.

On the morning of March 23, 2021, Ruta gained her wings, and heard the calling of the Lord to bring her home to rest in Him after a 6-month long battle with Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma.

Ruta had a HUGE heart!  She gave from that heart graciously and unconditionally.  Many would say that she loved “hard”.  She had compassion for so many – always wanting to make sure that those who needed an uplifting word or a visit, got exactly that.  She always knew when to step in and be there for someone else, even when it meant she would be exhausted afterwards, or it may be emotionally difficult.  Her love showed all over her entire being.

She was quick-witted and no nonsense, but she would always listen.  If you look in pictures that were taken of other people, she was somewhere in them, because she was present at every birthday party, anniversary, celebration - you name it.  Her proper manners garnered her a lot of funny nicknames and no doubt, a lot of respect and there was no mistaking she meant business.

The logo for our foundation is inspired by three things:  her heart, her grandchildren, and the legacy she wanted to leave – that she adamantly declared just two days before she passed – LOVE.