Ruby Tandy

Born on February 2, 1929 to Edward and Julia Ann Arnhold of Puyallup, WA. She was the youngest of 15 children of which 8 survived (they have all preceded her in death). Ruby graduated from Puyallup H.S. in 1947. She was married to Robert Wagner from 1949-1965, they had two children, Evelyn and Robert Jr. She later was married to Richard Tandy from 1967-1970, they had a daughter, Julie and Ruby was the step-mother to Richard’s son, Glen (who died at the age of 21). Ruby gave marriage one last try with Colonel Dan Ferguson from 1976-1982. Then she became the President of the “She-Woman Man Hater’s Club” as we used to joke. She lived in the Olympia area for over 60 years.

In her early years, she worked for Ma Bell the Telephone Company here in Olympia, which is where she met her life-long, best friend, Margaret Fuller (& Charles Fuller). But most of her life she worked in Dentistry, becoming a Dental Therapist, working on Ft. Lewis with and for our military men and women. She loved working in this field and especially loved restoring teeth. Though Ruby had always loved the Lord, after she retired she became especially close to her Savior Jesus Christ and became quite the outspoken evangelist sharing her faith with everyone. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Olympia for 37 years, and was involved in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML), she took on various board member positions, and later helped in the office. Over the years, Ruby loved to do crafts with her Homemaker’s Club, but honed her abilities and became quite skilled in oil and water painting, pottery, doll making and her signature pressed flower cards. She loved to travel and was able to visit many parts of the world. She was an avid reader. She loved flowers, but not so much the gardening. She enjoyed her kitties. She also enjoyed the water, and would often recall when she used to live out on Johnson Point and the times she shared with her oldest children. She was a wonderful cook back in the day and would put on feasts for her big family. Some family favorites were her seafood dishes, deep fried onions, bubble-n-squeak, sauerkraut-n-neck bones and her family famous rolls.

Ruby loved her family immensely . She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother-“Mema”, Aunt, Mentor and Friend. She was a sweet, loving, thoughtful and caring person, generous to a fault, but sassy and feisty too, prompting her nickname “Crabby Patty”. She loved her Lord deeply and probably gave Him a talking to, for not taking her sooner. Throughout the last part of her life she struggled with Asthma, Diabetes and Heart Disease which ultimately took her life on Saturday evening, June 9th, 2012. We will miss you Ruby, you were a light from above and our lives a little dimmer without you.

Ruby is survived by her daughter, Julie, and Julie’s husband, Alan and their children, Jacob and Matthew. Her first children, Evelyn and Bobby, and their children, Mandy, Sean and Megan. Her sister-in-law Beverly. Also her dear niece, Julie, and her nephew, Fred Jr. and his wife, Roselyne, and her nephew, David. Her great-nieces and nephews: Carolyn, Denise, J.D., Freddy III, Jennifer and David Jr. and their spouses: Robert, Kirby, JoAnne, Mary, Chris and Gigi. Her great-great nieces and nephews: Kira, Rex, Talula, Atticus, Rowen, Shannon, Kate, Jack, Freddy IV, Ryan, Luke, Ethan and Lauren. And her extended family: Phil, Dede, Kenzie, James, Ronnie, Hank, Dale, Carole and Kurt. And many wonderful friends.