Rufus Ashton Baines Jr., 71, went to be with the Lord on July 3, 2015. Rufus was born June 9, 1944 to the late Erma and Rufus Ashton Baines Sr. He was also predeceased by a brother Richard Baines; sister-in-law Janice Baines and brother-in-law Jack Riddick.

Rufus was a 1962 graduate from Suffolk High School in Suffolk , attended Elon College and entered the US Army, training at the Army Signal School in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey in 1963. He served in the Signal Corp, Crypto Unit from 1963- 1966 in Taipei, Taiwan and Fort Dietrick, Md. He worked for Navy Security Communications, Crypto Unit in Syracuse, N.Y. for 1966 to 1971.  He graduated from the Virginia State Police Academy 53rd Basic Training School and served as a Trooper with promotions to Senior Trooper, Special Agent as Undercover Drug Agent and Asset Forfeiture Unit, retiring in 1996. He worked as a bailiff and the victim witness coordinator with Essex County Sheriffs Office in Tappahannock, retiring for a second time in 2003. In Orange, he worked for Grymes Drug Store for several years

Rufus has served as president of the Rappahannock County Lions Club and was a former member of Rotary International. He has been active in many churches serving on the vestries of Trinity Episcopal in Washington, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tappahannock and St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church in Orange. 

His is survived by his wife, Lynne Oliver Baker Baines of Rhodesville; sons Robert Ashton Baines and Valerie Ames of Honey Brook, Penn., and Lee Baines and wife Sharon of True Blue; grandchildren Evan, Grace, Jack , Max and Thomas Baines; a Danish exchange son, Thomas Bergmann, and Danish grandson, Alexander; sister Joyce Baines Riddick of Suffolk and Nancy Baines White and husband George of Smithfield; nieces Terri Baines and husband Richard of England, Pam Carr and husband Mike, Kelly Powell and husband Brian of Suffolk; nephews Mark Baines and wife Amanda of Gloucester, and Jeff Baines and wife Tanya of Berlin, Germany; nine great nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life for Rufus Ashton Baines, Jr. will be conducted by the Rev. Dr. Lin Hutton and the Rev. Jennings Hobson on July 12, 1 p.m. at St. Thomas’s Episcopal Church, 119 Caroline St., Orange.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Orange Free Clinic, PO Box 441, Orange, VA 22960, St. Thomas Episcopal Church Restoration Project, 119 Caroline Street, Orange, VA 22960, or to a charity of your choice. R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home and Crematory, 509 W. Washington St. Suffolk is serving the family. Condolences may be registered at RWBakerFH.com.