NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. Ruth Wimberly Shuman, an extraordinarily accomplished motorcoach operator and civic volunteer, died late last month after suffering a heart attack. She was 77.

Mrs. Shuman retired after 20 years as an accountant with Burris Chemical in Charleston before entering the coach industry.

For the past 27 years, she was president and CEO of Great American Bus of Charleston, a tour and charter operation.

She was a board member for three years and charter member of Motor Coach Association of South Carolina. Earlier this year, the association honored Mrs. Shuman with its Operator of the Year award.

She also was a member of the Charleston Tourism Board.

Her volunteer activities, professional associations and civic honors would take a page in this newspaper to list and wear you out reading it. They include a decade of work for the American Association or Retired Persons, including serving as state coordinator of eight AARP chapters.

She was a Hanahan (S.C.) Senior Citizens member for 27 years and was president for four years during construction of the Senior Center of Hanahan.
She was a member for 30 years and past president of the Charleston Federation of Women's Clubs. She was current vice president and 12-year member of the Woman's Club of Charleston.

She was state president of the South Carolina Business and Professional Women's Club in the 1980s and was instrumental in raising thousands of dollars to fund scholarships given by the organization.

She was a charter member of the Charleston/Palmetto Business and Professional Women.

She was an active member for 38 years at Highland Park Baptist Church, serving on its finance committee, as a Sunday School teacher, singing in the choir and as a missionary to Romania.

She was a board member of Trident Education Business Alliance, Elderlink of Trident and the South Carolina Silver Haired Legislative Inc.

Her awards include BPW District Woman of the Year, and the South Carolina Order of the Palmetto.

She was a long-time square dance aficionado and former president, vice president and secretary of a square dancing group.

Mrs. Shuman was the widow of Joseph William Shuman and a son, William, preceded her in death.

Survivors include her daughters, Lyn Ryan and Faye S. Turner, both of Charleston; a brother, a sister, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A memorial has been established in Mrs. Shumans name with the Highland Park Baptist Church Building Fund, 621 Murray Dr., Hanahan, SC, 29406.