To the Editor:
The Alexandria community has lost a great character in the passing of historian Ruth Lincoln Kaye, for most of her life a resident of Alexandria.
She was a familiar figure in library and court house in tireless pursuit composing her essays about houses, churches, and commercial buildings of Old Town and environs. In her studies she brought forth historical information and fascinating stories even ghost stories, that might otherwise have been lost in the fast transformation of the town. Over a hundred of these finely finished essays are housed in the Alexandria Public Library. To her colleagues she was generous, as well as a gentle but very truthful critic. St Paul’s Episcopal church on Pitt Street held a special place in her affections. In 1984 she published “The History of St. Paul’s Church, Alexandria, Virginia,” a classic in Alexandria and Virginia scholarship, and revised it for the 200th anniversary of the church in 2009.
She was a cautious and thorough researcher, who followed the traditional, pre-computer paths in finding and proving her material. She was also a cherished friend.
William Seale