Ruth May (Ahlers) Scull

Ruth May Ahlers Scull, age 99, of San Diego, California passed away on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Ruth was born January 28, 1921 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ruth lived a full and beautiful life to the age of 99, and she passed away naturally and peacefully encircled with the love of her family, whom she loved and who so loved her.

She and her husband, Byron Frank Scull, were married on June 28, 1940 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They loved each other dearly and built a beautiful life together in Ohio. Ruth and Byron were blessed with three sons, Byron Bruce Scull, Dennis Giles Scull, and Robert Keith Scull. The family relocated from Cincinnati, Ohio to Chula Vista, California in 1955 where they lived until her husband Byron's death on March 30, 1991; thereafter, Ruth relocated to Scripps Ranch in San Diego, California where she lived independently until age 97 and then transitioned to assisted living.

Ruth was continually uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional dance teacher and business owner. She earned her professional dance teaching credentials from the Dance Masters in Chicago, Illinois, which she accomplished prior to being married, starting her family, and establishing her dance career and studio. She had the good fortune at this early age to be taught tap and dance on stage with Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, as well as being taught by many other accomplished dance professionals. She worked for 45 years as a dance teacher in Ohio public schools as well as managing her own dance studio in Ohio, and then from 1955 operating and managing her own dance studio in Chula Vista, California. She taught ballet, tap, jazz, and ballroom dance to youth and adults and was always fondly referred to by her students as “Miss Ruth.”

Ruth was enterprising, original, inventive, and working toward dance rehearsal and performance deadlines energized her. As an example of her creative originality, Ruth wrote, choreographed, and directed her own studio performances such as "The Haunted House," "The Card Game," "The Jewel Heist," "Here Comes the Showboat," "Prince into Fox," and "The Make-up Box." Several of Ruth’s Annual Dance Performances were held at Cook Elementary School, Kellogg Elementary School, and Southwestern College which was sponsored by the U.S. Air Force Moms. Ruth had the uncanny ability to identify a winning solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for fun, insight, generosity, and lust for life. Ruth's students saw her as a supporter and a mentor, and many went on to successful dance careers of their own spanning the United States from Maine to San Diego.

Ruth is predeceased by her husband, Byron, her father and mother, Ben and Marie Ahlers, and her older brothers, Bernard Ahlers and Robert Ahlers. Ruth is survived by her children, Byron, Dennis, and Robert; her sons' spouses, Martha, Toni, and Julia; her six grandchildren, Deanna and her spouse Shane, Tammy and her spouse Glenn, Ron, Derk and his spouse Megan, Sarah, and Phillip; and her seven great-grandchildren, Jeffrey, Michael, Ryan, Adam, Shayla, Jaclyn, and Katlyn. Celebration of Life Services will be held at Glen Abbey Memorial Park's Chapel of the Roses on June 16, 2020. Ruth will be laid to rest beside her loving husband, Byron, at Glen Abbey Memorial Park, Von Brom Court in Bonita, California.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.glenabbeysandiego.net for the Scull family.