Ruth Lorraine Searle

Ruth had two older brothers, Raymond Paul and David, and two younger sisters, Jean and Faith. The family lived in a small California bungalow until Ruth turned five when they moved into a six bedroom house her dad built after work and on week-ends. With her brothers, Ruth helped with putting on the roof shingles. In the back yard, Paul Walker built a playhouse that was enjoyed by the girls and later by grandchildren and great-grandchildren alike.

Ruth attended Salinas public schools and graduated from Salinas Union High School in 1943.

During the 1930s several families relocated from the Oklahoma dust bowl to Salinas. They lived in whatever shacks they could cobble together at the edge of town. The site grew so fast there was only one water faucet for everyone to use. Ruth observed the extreme poverty and wanted to help.

Ruth went through school with many friends of Japanese descent. It was devastating to her when overnight in 1942 they disappeared due to internment of Japanese-Americans. She never saw them again; she carried a grief of the loss of her friends. Ruth’s early observations of poverty and discrimination helped formulate her values of serving the poor, eradicating discrimination, and dedicating her life to service, values she passed on to her children.

In the Walker household, guests were always welcome especially during the war years. Soldiers from Fort Ord would attend the Methodist church and often they were invited for a home cooked meal. One of these soldiers was from Bellflower, California and was planning to be a minister...Ruth was smitten, especially when she learned he played the piano. Ruth was part of a trio that sang for the USO. A year later in 1945, Ruth and Howard joyfully married. They moved to Stockton where they both attended Pepperdine College.

Their first child Jeanette (Jenny) was born in 1946, while Howard attended San Francisco Theological Seminary. Their second child John Edwin was born in 1949 with a heart defect and only lived a day. The devastating loss was compounded for Ruth as she wasn't allowed to hold her son. Ten months later Rebecca (Becky) was born. The following spring on the day of Becky’s baptism, Howard was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. As women were not allowed to be ministers at the time, Ruth made her own private vow to glorify God in her life and to serve the community. As part of this vow, Ruth ministered God’s word as a fully active leader of the church in her role as the minister’s wife. The young family continued to live in Centerville, California for the next two years raising their children and rebuilding the church's small congregation of 17 to a congregation of over 100 members.

In 1952, they accepted a position in Carson City, Nevada. The manse was right next door to the church, built before indoor plumbing. The kitchen stove was half wood-burning and half electric. In the back yard, was a carriage house complete with a horse stall. Ruth was busy raising the girls, keeping an old house ready for visitors and serving the congregation. During those years, it was not uncommon for a young couple to knock on the door both day or night and ask to be married. Ruth made many wedding cakes and a few wedding dresses for couples of limited resources. In addition, the family opened their home to foster children and guests from around the world. Ruth made matching dresses for her daughters and herself for each Easter Sunday.

In 1955, the family moved to Long Beach, California and Ruth maintained the home-front, raised the girls and was very involved in the numerous activities of the church. She taught Sunday School classes, sang in the adult choir and led the youth choir. She hosted family activity nights, planning crafts and fun events for all to participate. She canned fruits at their peak to be used throughout the year, especially green mint and red cinnamon pears for Christmas festivities.

In 1958, the family was blessed with the birth of Peter. He was adopted from a young couple who felt Ruth and Howard could provide an excellent home for their baby. The adoption arrangements were made well in advance of Peter's birth and the whole family shared in the excitement of his pending arrival. To everyone’s delight he was a boy born with red hair.

The family moved in 1960 to Nampa, Idaho a rural community of 20,000 and a striking change from the urbanization of Southern California. Along with raising her family, Ruth busied herself with the activities of church: choir, women's groups and Bible study. For weeks at a time, the family continued to host guests from around the country and the world including Iraq, Burma (Myanmar), and the Philippines.

In 1966, Howard left the pastorate and the family moved to Portland, Oregon. Ruth helped with the transition and joined in the activities at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portland. She prepared two graduation celebrations in 1968, Jenny, graduated from Lewis & Clark College, and Becky from Jackson High School.

Ruth and Howard separated in 1973 and subsequently divorced. They continued to share in the raising of Peter. Ruth went back to school and finished her Associates Degree at Mt. Hood Community College and entered the work force as an office administrator for a home health business.

In 1976, Ruth had an adventure as she and daughter, Jenny, took a road trip to Mazatlan, Mexico. It was a trip where both of their guardian angels worked overtime. Ruth and Jenny brought back many fun and some harrowing stories to share and returned home safe and sound to everyone’s relief.

Following her commitment to service, in the early 1980s Ruth sponsored two refugee families. The first family of four came from Laos and stayed with her for seven months. They later moved to Sacramento and kept in touch with her until she moved back to Portland. The second family was from Ethiopia and stayed with her for three months while they adjusted to life in America.

In 1985, Ruth moved back to Pine Grove, California to help care for her aging parents. She used her background of hospitality, values formulated as a girl, and work experience to start a home health care business providing services to help elderly people remain in their homes. She charged a fair price and paid her workers above minimum wage as she knew how hard it was to make ends meet. She believed her business was a service to each and every client and part of what she was called to do.

While operating her business she met Richard Searle and they married in 1988. Their marriage was filled with love and joy; they lived in Sutter Creek. Richard’s love of humor and quick wit brought many happy years. They purchased a beach house in Seaside, Oregon where the family celebrated several Thanksgivings. Ruth and Richard attended Trinity Episcopal Church in Sutter Creek, where Ruth was very active in all the events and activities, choir, vestry, Bible study, retreats, and workshops.

Throughout the 1990s, there were lots of family events, sister/brother get togethers; grandson Seth stopping by on his way between Los Angeles and Portland, cousin brunches and family reunions. And there was a grand surprise celebration when all three of her children arrived in 1996 to celebrate her 70th birthday.

The following year, her son Peter died from complications of a heart defect.

In 1998, Ruth made the trip of a lifetime taking a three week cruise following the journeys of Paul through Greece, Turkey, and Egypt. This was a dream come true complete with the t-shirt which she kept until the end.

Her husband Richard passed away in 1999 due to complications from a Black Recluse spider bite.

Ruth fulfilled a childhood dream in late 2000 and took a trip to Hawaii with daughter Becky. Her aunt had gone by steamer when she was a young girl and after listening to all the stories she wanted to see a pineapple plantation. It was a delightful trip.

As her lifestyle started to slow down, she transitioned to modified activities. Instead of going to all the retreats she started praying weekly for different members of the congregation and mailed a card letting them know she was holding them in prayer. Many Sunday mornings congregation members shared with her how the card came just as it was needed and how much they appreciated her prayers.

In 2004, her doctor told Ruth she could no longer live alone and so with the aid of her daughters, she moved into assisted living staying in Sutter Creek to be close to her church community. In November 2005, she moved back to Portland to be closer to her daughters. She lived first in assisted living and then memory care living as the advances of vascular dementia and heart disease took their toll. At every visit with her family, Ruth would sing songs, remembering all the words. She would remind family visitors that she prayed for the entire family every morning when she woke up and every evening when drifting off to sleep. She lived a life of joy, love and service.

Ruth is survived by her brother David Walker, sisters Jean Cunningham and Faith Brainard, daughters, Jenny Landis-Steward and Becky Steward, grandchildren, Ethan, Seth, Krystal, James and Victoria, great-grandchildren Zachary, Brandon, Maxwell and Malcolm.

I have one final story to share. Mom grew up with rules prohibiting dancing; in those days there were lots of prohibitions. During one visit, I played a favorite song she had shared with me, and with her dementia she forgot the no dancing rule and we danced together in her room. That joy and love is what I will cherish and I know that she is singing and dancing in heaven with the angels and all those who have gone before.