Beth Reavis bows out of social services after 44 years

Wednesday, June 28, was a big day for H. Elizabeth “Beth” Reavis but Friday, the 30th will be even bigger.

Friday is the day Reavis retires from a 44-year career in social services, six of them locally with Warren County’s Department of Social Services.

County Administrator Doug Stanley gives outgoing WC DSS Director Beth Reavis a good-bye hug. Courtesy Photo

Wednesday was the day that her boss, County Administrator Doug Stanley, and her friends, said many good things about her at a farewell luncheon at the Shenandoah Valley Golf Club sponsored by Grafton Integrated Health Network, the National Counseling Group, and Intensive Supervision & Counseling Services LLC.

It was a fitting farewell to a woman who has been responsible for those unfortunates who turned to her when they had no one else to turn to. Each received a loving hand and a patient hearing in an environment – a freshly and uniquely decorated county office building – that earned accolades not only of her “clients” but also, grudgingly, of her boss, Stanley, an admitted conservative when it comes to, well, uniquely decorated offices.

Reavis’s point seemed to be to give the area’s needy a happier place to be than the place they had come from for help.

Additionally, Reavis was lauded for her caring outside the workplace. For example, she had injected new spirit into the House of Hope, an institution for men who sought shelter and for some of them, rehabilitation. That was heaped on her by House of Hope board member Mary Anne Biggs. Earlier, Stanley had bestowed his kudos, followed by Tony Carter, vice chair of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, who read a board resolution honoring her service.

Then came William Crawford, chair of the Department of Social Services (DSS) Advisory Board, with his kudos,followed by Mark Gleason, chair of the Community Policy and Management Team who chose some of the works of Abraham Lincoln to illustrate Reavis’s long service and sincere dedication.

Vickie Johnson-Scott, Northern Regional Director of the Virginia DSS, made a presentation and then …

Beth Reavis stood up to say thanks and farewell.