Nanci Jo Sauder Ruest

Nanci Klein Sauder Ruest was born in Mansfield, Ohio on September 12, 1961. Her parents were Dr. Oscar William Klein and Dolores (Baverman) Klein. Her father passed away when she was seven years old in 1969.

Nanci passed away suddenly on August 12, 2021 in Upland, CA due to complications from COVID (even though she was fully vaccinated) and pre-existing medical conditions.

Nanci married Leonard (Lenny) Ruest Jr. on June 14, 2003 in Etiwanda, CA and recently celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary.

Nanci was a coffee house waitress at Michael J’s in La Verne, CA before finding her calling and becoming a real estate agent in 1986. Nanci quickly became a very successful real estate agent, eventually becoming a real estate broker. She owned and operated three successful, independent, real estate companies in Claremont, CA. She also dabbled in catering, professional photography and music promotion.

Nanci's passions were music and photography. She blended these two things seamlessly by attending concerts and shooting pictures of the bands and artists she saw. She literally traveled the world to see her favorite artists perform. Before the Pandemic, it was not unusual for Nanci to attend 4 to 5 concerts a week with Lenny or while he was at work. She and Lenny's passion for music is what brought them together over 21 years ago and was something they both shared until she passed.

Nanci loved to travel. She was a big "Bucket List" person. She was extremely proud to have checked off visiting all 50 states in April 2021 (with the last state being Arkansas)! She visited 31 of all 32 Major League Baseball stadiums (missing the Tampa Bay Rays)! Her absolute favorite baseball team was the Anaheim Angels. She has had lunch in the Eiffel Tower, rode a gondola in Venice, saw the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, and went to Stonehenge with Lenny to name just a few places she visited. She had planned to do even more traveling around the world with him after he retired, and she had many trips planned for the remainder of this year with friends that she never got to take.

Nanci had so many friends that it would be impossible to attempt to list and thank them all. She had a knack for making everyone feel special and close to her whoever came into her life, and that is something we all should aspire to! Nanci’s life motto was “Dance like it was your last dance!”

Nanci is survived by her loving Husband, Leonard (Lenny) Ruest Jr, Upland, CA; Step-Sons Jason Sauder, Victor Ruest, Brett Ruest, Brandon Ruest, Steven Ruest; Step-Daughters Heather (Ruest) Cloutier and Tara Ruest; Mother Dolores "Dee" Klein, La Verne, CA; Brother Lee Klein (Diane) Oxnard, CA; Nephews Hunter Klein, Camarillo, CA and Tyler Klein, Salt Lake City, UT; Aunt Thalia (Teddy) Klein, Boynton Beach, FL; Mother & Father-in-Law, Marjorie and Leonard Ruest Sr., Ellerbe NC; Brother-In-Law Jeffrey Ruest, Ellerbe NC; Sister-In-Law Lynda Ruest-Ridings (David) Madison, TN; and several cousins and many friends all over the world.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.stonefuneralhomeupland.com for the Sauder Ruest family.