Ruben Littau

Of Auburn, California passed away peacefully on August 7, 2020, in Sacramento, Ca.

He was born to John and Magdalena Littau on April 25, 1934 in western South Dakota, the tenth of twelve children. Although he began his education in a one room school house in South Dakota, he earned both a BA and Master’s Degree from the University of South Dakota in Mathematics and participated in a Master’s program at the University of California at Berkeley. He was keenly interested in all aspects of physics and astronomy.

For 34 years, Ruben was a math and physics teacher at Placer High School in Auburn, California, teaching several generations of Placer County students including his own children and nieces. He was also a licensed general contractor who built several homes in the Auburn Area as well as a great deal of St. Pauls Lutheran Church. Good, solid craftsmanship gave him undeniable satisfaction and joy.

As a private pilot and member of the civil air patrol, he loved flying small aircraft. He owned several in his days in South Dakota and continued to fly regularly once the family moved to California.

But most of all, Ruben was devoted to his family and is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ruth, his three children, Kathy Swabacker (Stuart), Karen Alkons (Jim), and Karl Littau (Jane), his three grandchildren, Anne Alkons, Erik Littau, and Taylor Littau, his last surviving sibling, Susanne Mundorf, and many nieces and nephews.

Interment will be at New Auburn Cemetery on Friday, August 21, 2020 at 10 AM.