https://give.afev.us/give/372145/#!/donation/checkout
Rubye moved into Bob Hope Village along with her husband, Earl, back in 2011.
The two met through mutual friends in 1974 and were stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico during their military life together.
After 35 years of service with the Air National Guard and the United States Air Force, Earl retired. His job required frequent travel from base to base on TDY (temporary duty) orders - he'd typically be away from home three weeks of every month.
"I don't think I actually felt married until after Earl retired," says Rubye.
Being separated from your loved one for long periods of time is just one of the many sacrifices that military spouses endure.
The military has always prided itself on this truth: "We take care of our own." Whenever Earl was crisscrossing the country, or even the world, his crew always had Rubye's back. It's something she'll always be grateful for.
"I remember when my husband was returning from Cairo, Egypt. It was a cold night with over three feet of snow. The guys from his shop came to pick me up in a truck to take me to greet Earl. They gave me updates the whole time of where he was. They just wanted to make sure I was there right when Earl walked off the plane."
She adds, "I never understood why they took such good care of me. But that's what they did."
Decades after Earl's retirement and the couple's service to our country, the Air Force still takes care of our own today by providing Rubye and other military widows with a safe and secure community in the twilight of their lives through the Air Force Enlisted Village.
It's been nearly two years since Ruby lost her beloved Earl, and now she lives alone at Bob Hope Village. She is surrounded by so many wonderful friends and neighbors and a caring staff.
"I love being here," Rubye says. "The security...the transportation...the care that they give us, even just through a smile. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than Bob Hope Village. Thank you to everyone that supports the Air Force Enlisted Village."
