Ruthann Friedman

Ruthann was born in 1940 to Elizabeth and Russell Easterbrook. She spent most of her youth in Lafayette, IN. A determined, energetic woman, she put herself through college at Indiana University, earning a business/accounting degree, then moved to Chicago, IL, in the early 1960s, where she worked as one of the first female junior executives at Kemper insurance company. At the same time, she began taking computer programming courses, where she met her husband, Morton Friedman. They married in December, 1964.

In 1976, Ruthann and Mort moved with their young sons, Michael and David, to Southport, IN, to run a True-Value hardware store. Always resourceful, Ruthann often took side jobs to supplement their income, worked for the IRS after the store closed, and then spent about 25 years working as a realtor, first in Indiana and then California. Widowed in 2002, Ruthann relocated to Santa Clara, CA, in 2010 to be near her beloved grandchildren.

Ruthann was known for making friends wherever she went. She loved the beach, was fond of watching sports—particularly football and college basketball—and was quick to embrace new challenges. At 58, she hiked the Grand Canyon, and at 71, she walked a half-marathon in support of Alzheimer's research.

After a very serious auto accident in the summer of 2014, Ruthann lost much of her cherished independence, but her robust spirit and optimism sustained her. She continued to participate joyfully in the lives of her family and friends.

Ruthann was preceded in death by her husband Mort and older brother Jack Easterbrook. She is survived by sons Michael (Gina Marie Pitti) and David (Alisha Rohde); her brothers William (Pat) & Donald; her three grandchildren; and a loving, extended family.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, July 10, 2017 at St. Francis Episcopal Church of Willow Glen, 1205 Pine Ave., San Jose, CA 95125 (http://www.stfranciswillowglen.org/about-us/location). A second memorial will be held in Chicago in the early fall.

In lieu of flowers, her family suggests donations to the American Heart Association, the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance, or the charity of your choice.