Ruth Pilgrim

Ruth’s first job was being a migrant worker in many fields all over the US. Her first job away from field work was a chicken plucker. It lasted 2 days. Ruth told management she was meant for something bigger. Her next job was that of a waitress at Charlies. Charlies is where she met her husband, Ray Eugene Pilgrim. A group of girls bet her $100 dollars that Ray would not ask her out on a date. She took the bet knowing he had already been pursuing her for the last 3 days. She won that $100 dollar bet by pretending not to know how to shoot a rifle at an arcade bear. At that time Ruth was an expert at shooting a rifle. She won the bet and the man. That is the type of woman Ruth was, very clever and witty along with being so strong, loving, and beautiful. She won that bet and 62 years later they were still together. Ruth made waitressing her profession. She was at the Night Hawk café for 25 years plus. She was able to wait on her favorite celebs like John Wayne, Elvis Presley, and John F. Kennedy. Ruth left waitressing and moved on to work for the University of Texas at Austin where she was a file clerk until she retired at the age of 72.

Ruth loved spending time with family, gardening, playing Keno, and watching her soap operas. She loved telling stories about her childhood and her life in general. She painted pictures so vividly with her story telling, and when she would laugh while she was talking it was hilarious. It was such a contagious laugh. Ruth was so proud of the big family that she had and with all the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and great-great-great grandchildren, her memory and legacy will live on forever.

Ruth is survived by her children; Dorothy Guerrero, Mary Alvarez (Humberto Alvarez), Peggy Pilgrim Rivera (Joe Rivera), Ray Pilgrim Jr., and Liz Pilgrim (Tina Phifer). She is also survived by 124 grandchildren.

Ruth is preceded in death by her Mother Martha Gatica and Father Frank Flores Sr. Her Brother’s Jimmy Flores, Frank Flores Jr., Moses Flores, Joe Flores and Manuel Flores. Her sister Janie Gatica. Her Husband Ray Eugene Pilgrim, daughter’s Paula Flores and Betty Ann Jaramillo.