Carl Rubis

Born June 26, 1933, in Johnstown, PA, Carl Stephen Rubis died June 15, 2025, in Daleville, VA.

During childhood, his parents Mary Toth Rubis and Anthony Rubis moved to Youngstown, Ohio, where Carl graduated from Rayen High School in 1951. Carl took violin lessons from musician and strings teacher Leon Tosti, then studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio under Nathan Gottschalk, graduating in 1955 with a degree in viola performance.

After graduation, Carl joined the U.S. Army, where he was first stationed with a ski patrol in Colorado. He auditioned for and was reassigned to the 7th Army Symphony Orchestra stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, which traveled all over Europe playing concerts to high praise from music critics. In 1957 he was hired by the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, where he enjoyed playing viola in concerts, hearing world-famous artists, and going on its famed 12-week tour of Latin and South America in 1959, playing in 19 countries.

Carl married his beloved wife Dorothy Wren King in 1960 and they were blessed to have two fine sons. They lived in Springfield, VA, until 2021. He resigned from the orchestra in 1962 as he had a desire to teach, and got education credits from the University of Maryland and later a master's degree from Catholic University. Carl began teaching music at North Bethesda Junior High School in 1963 and truly enjoyed becoming lifelong friends with many students. Bands and orchestras he directed achieved many superior ratings at county and state music festivals. Other Montgomery County, MD, schools Carl taught at included Cabin John, Herbert Hoover and Tilden middle schools, and Bells Mill elementary, before retiring in 1992.

Carl also did much freelance playing and was a regular for many years with the National Gallery of Art Orchestra, Washington Ballet, Friday Morning Music Club, and the Arlington, McLean and Kennedy Center orchestras. He also played in backup bands for touring stars visiting Washington, D.C., including Bob Hope, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Pearl Bailey, Cher, Henry Mancini, Dinah Shore, and many others. Carl was an avid gardener and loved fishing and boating.

He was predeceased by his wife, Wren and a brother, George. He reluctantly leaves his beloved son Stephen and daughter-in-law Michelle, beloved son Donald, sister Jewel, brother Leon, two grandchildren Zachary and Alisa, two great-grandchildren Hanna and Rebekah, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Aug. 16, 2025, Time TBD, at Parkway Church on the Mountain in Roanoke, VA. Donations in memoriam may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.