Ruth Borello

YOUR MOTHER IS ALWAYS WITH YOU. SHE’S THE WHISPER OF THE LEAVES AS YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET. SHE’S THE SMELL OF CERTAIN FOODS YOU REMEMBER, FLOWERS YOU PICK, THE FRAGRANCE OF LIFE ITSELF. SHE’S THE COOL HAND ON YOUR BROW WHEN YOU’RE NOT FEELING WELL. SHE’S YOUR BREATH IN THE AIR ON A COLD WINTER’S DAY. SHE IS THE SOUND OF THE RAIN THAT LULLS YOU TO SLEEP, THE COLORS OF A RAINBOW; SHE IS CHRISTMAS MORNING. YOUR MOTHER LIVES INSIDE YOUR LAUGHTER, SHE’S THE PLACE YOU CAME FROM, YOUR FIRST HOME, AND SHE’S THE MAP YOU FOLLOW WITH EVERY STEP YOU TAKE. SHE’S YOUR FIRST LOVE, YOUR FIRST FRIEND, AND EVEN YOUR FIRST ENEMY, BUT NOTHING ON EARTH CAN SEPARATE YOU NOT TIME, NOT SPACE…NOT EVEN DEATH.

WHEN TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME, PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND, THAT AN ANGEL CAME AND CALLED MY NAME, AND TOOK ME BY THE HAND; THE ANGEL SAID MY PLACE WAS READY, IN HEAVEN FAR ABOVE, AND THAT I’D HAVE TO LEAVE BEHIND ALL THOSE I DEARLY LOVE. BUT WHEN I WALKED THROUGH HEAVEN’S GATE, I FELT SO MUCH AT HOME, FOR GOD LOOKED DOWN, SMILED AT ME, AND TOLD ME ‘WELCOME HOME’. SO, WHEN TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME, DON’T THINK WE’RE FAR APART, FOR EVERY TIME YOU THINK OF ME, I’M RIGHT THERE IN YOUR HEART.

PSALM 31 is one of her many favorite verses. It was her salvation when times were tough.

Ruth was born on December 22, 1926. She was the eleventh child out of thirteen. Her father was a farmer, who suffered from the Great Depression, forcing them to lose their ranch and move to Willow Glen. Ruth attended Willow Glen Grammar School and Campbell High School. She played many sports, including volleyball, basketball and baseball. Being so athletic, allowed her to leap from her two-story window across to her sister's room, just to borrow her clothing.

When Ruth was 15, while cutting apricots on the Borello Ranch, she met the love of her life, Francis. Ruth being from Southern Italy and Francis from Northern Italy, there was much rivalry and disagreement between the parents. However, against their parents’ wishes they brought the North and South together by eloping. They moved to Marysville where Francis served in the Army and Ruth worked as a waitress in the officer’s club.

Ruth was always a city girl, so living on the Ranch was different for her at times. Francis was amused by Ruth’s innocence and teased her relentlessly from learning to cook to planting chicken feet in the ground to see if they would grow.

Ruth drove a school bus for Head Start and ministered to so many children. During her 15 years of driving, she would pick them up from their homes on Sundays and take them to church. The children loved her, and she loved all the children. After living on the Ranch for 40 years and retiring from Head Start, in 1985, Ruth and Francis bought their first home on Alkire.

Ruth and Francis traveled as much as their farming life would allow them to enjoy seeing all parts of the US in their motorhome. Ruth and Francis will forever be remembered for the love they had for each other. Until the end they were each other’s sweetheart. They will be missed by their surviving family; Richard, Barbara, Rebekah, Rachel, Jessica, 7 great grandchildren, 6 great great-grandchildren.

We know they are at peace, together again, and happy in heaven with restored health, dancing and singing with all their loved ones. Until we meet again