Lasting Memories

Ruth Rosenbaum
Oct. 1, 1937-March 1, 2018
Palo Alto, California

Ruth Rosenbaum passed away peacefully in her sleep due to complications from ovarian cancer on March 1, 2018. She was 80 years old. Ruth was a resident of Palo Alto for over 57 years and was predeceased by her loving husband, Dick. She is survived by her children, Amy and Dan; daughter-in-law, Jayne; grandchildren, Kathryn, Grant and David; and brother, Fred. Ruth was born in Providence, Rhode Island and attended Simmons College in Boston. She completed a masters in Education at Framingham State University, and taught elementary school in the Boston area while Dick completed his doctorate in Aeronautical Engineering at MIT. They married in 1958 and moved to Palo Alto in 1960 upon Dick’s graduation. Ruth resumed teaching in Sunnyvale and Dick began his career at Lockheed. Ruth took a sabbatical from teaching to devote herself to her children when they were young. She later returned to the classroom as a Special Education Teacher’s Aide in Palo Alto. She specialized in reading instruction, and was deeply committed to her students. She celebrated their interval progress and encouraged them to have confidence in their ability to learn. Ruth contributed to the development a tutoring program for readers who were struggling. When she retired, Ruth continued to volunteer in the program for another 14 years. Ruth was an active member of the community. As a young mother, she worked with Nursing Mothers Counsel, a volunteer organization that encourages new mothers to breastfeed by offering classes, phone consultation and home visits. Later in life she served on the Board of Directors for the La Comida Senior Lunch Program. She participated in the Bay Area Simmons Alumni Club, and served as president for 10 years.

Ruth enjoyed a long and fulfilling life with family and friends. Ruth and Dick were early and enthusiastic members of the Aurora Singers, a non-profit community chorus based in Palo Alto. They were also avid travelers. When Dick died in 2015, Ruth moved to Channing House in Palo Alto. There she received a warm welcome from her new neighbors who would soon become cherished friends.

Ruth will be remembered as a kind, generous and fiercely devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend and teacher. She will be missed by all whose lives she touched.