February 10, 1930-January 11, 2019
Ruth Orbuch passed away suddenly, but peacefully on January 11, 2019. Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and happily married to Allen Orbuch for 66 years, she is survived by her husband, her three children Jane, Paul and Susan Orbuch as well as their spouses Bryan Cockel, Caroline Landry and Jim Gilbert. She leaves behind her four grandsons, Ryan and Jared Orbuch, and Benjamin and Aaron Gilbert, and her step granddaughter Cate Landry. She was preceded in death by her sister Faith and brother Harold.
After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Ruth was a high school art teacher in Minneapolis and an elementary school teacher in Maryland before moving to Los Angeles with Allen in 1956. Making their home first in Northridge and then Encino, Ruth was PTA president at Lanai Road Elementary School, active in the Portola Junior High and Birmingham High School PTAs and was also a leader in the Jewish Federation, San Fernando Valley Chapter. Her many contributions to the Federation including her mentoring of the next generation of women leaders were recognized when she was awarded the President’s Award from the Women’s Conference in 1989. Ruth also was a docent and active member of the Skirball Cultural Center, initially when it was located on the USC campus and after it moved to its current location on Sepulveda Boulevard in 1996.
Ruth and Allen are founding members of Stephen S. Wise Temple and are members of the Board of Governors of City of Hope. Most recently, Ruth was editor of “The View” the resident quarterly news publication at Fountainview Independent Living in Reseda. She was an excellent cook, a world traveler, and a devotee of the arts, especially the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra.She was also a Laker and Dodger fan until the end She was a green thumb, a big fan of vizslas, a deft card player, and a dedicated grandmother. She was known far and wide for her encyclopedic knowledge of family history and lore. She was Mom, and one class act!
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday January 16, 2019 at 11 AM at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills CA.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Ruth’s honor to Skirball Cultural Center or City of Hope Duarte, California.
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