The 1921 Winton Ruby was born in on the way to the hospital, Portland, Oregon, Jan 16, 1921, Bill “Pop” Ruff driving.
Ruby was raised in a loving family
Ruby found this photo of her parents with her as a baby in her father’s wallet after his death.
Ruby, 4 years and 4 months old
Ruby, Bill, and Margie
Her large, close extended family, the Peter and Bertha Streiff clan, played a huge part in her life. Back (left to right): Carrie, Al, Fred, Dessie, Margie, Pearl, Robert, Bill, Nellie, Harry, Hank, May Middle: Louise, Cookie, Lillian, Minnie Center: Ruby Front: Charles holding Larry, Harvey, Bertha, Charles, Peter, Rose, Katie, Peter
Peter and Bertha Streiff home on Shattuck Road in Portland, site of many a happy family celebration.
Selected pages from Ruby’s 8th grade graduation autograph book, 1934
High School Graduation, 1938
Ruby graduated from Lincoln High School (now Portland State University). Hers was the first graduating class in Portland to wear caps and gowns
Ruby grew into a lovely young woman
After graduating from high school, she was a page in the Oregon State Senate in Salem in 1939. She worked in Jantzen Beach at the Milk Bar, and at the Vancouver Shipyard as a secretary, later earning an “engineer” rating because she had to read blueprints to be able to order required ship parts.
Ruby married Warrant Officer Lynn M. Hazen in 1946
They were introduced by a mutual friend when Ruby worked at Jantzen Beach, corresponded while he was overseas during the war, and after he came home he proposed to her on her birthday in 1946.
And then she travelled the world with him as an Air Force wife
Passport photo, 1951 Marilynn, Ruby, and Duane
Tripoli, Libya 1951 – 1953
Ruby, Marilynn, Lynn, and Duane on the roof of their Tripoli apartment building
Part of the UN Garden seen from the apartment balcony
Marilynn and Duane, August 1952
Going shopping in a Gherry
Duane’s 2nd birthday
30 day leave to Germany and Switzerland, 1952
Flying over Mount Vesuvius on the way north
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Marilynn and Duane in Frankfurt
Flying past the Rock of Gibralter on the way back to Tripoli
Living in Alaska 1956 – 1960
Mountain View, Alaska, 1956
Ruby and Lynn at the on-base housing at Elmendorf Air Force Base
Alaskan Wilderness
Moved to Hazel Dell, Washington 1964 – 1977
Lynn and Ruby
Ruby, November 1972
Retirement and Grandchildren
Ruby, Andrea, Maggie, Lynn, and PJ April 14, 1984
Grandma Carrie, Duane, PJ, and Lynn at Grandma’s house on Hazen Road
Honorary grandchildren Judi and Pete Evitt, who have been a mainstay for Ruby in her later years
Three-Generation Trip to Europe, August 1994
Brussels, Belgium
Susan and Jim Claypool hosted us in Brussels. Susan took us to see the bi-annual Flower Carpet at the Grand Place
Paris, France
Meg, Marilynn, Andrea, and Ruby at a bistro on the Left Bank
Ruby, Andrea, and Meg in front of Notre Dame
Meg, Ruby, and Andrea in front of the Eiffel Tower
A view of the Arc de Triomphe from the top of the Eiffel Tower
London, UK
Meg, Ruby, and Andrea in the Hard Rock Cafe in London
The Tower of London
Big Ben
50th Anniversary, April 1997
Lynn and Ruby’s 50th anniverary, April 1997
Duane and Dianna’s Wedding, 2005
Lynn, Dianna, and Ruby at Duane and Dianna’s wedding, May 8, 2005
60th Anniversary, April 2007
Ruby and Lynn’s 60th anniversary
Great Grandchildren
Haley, 2000
Brooklyn and Gabriella, 2014
Dianna, Duane, Marilynn, Lynn, Holly, Brista (the dog), Ruby, and PJ, 2014
Two Decades of Adventures and Media Coverage
In April of 2001, Ruby celebrated her 80th birthday and 1 year of being cancer-free by jumping out of an airplane!
A Coastie hosted by Ruby’s family during WWII borrowed her photo without asking and in 2013 tries to locate her so he can return the photo and make amends
Tuesday, Sept 17, 2013, Ruby’s photo was on the front page of the Portland “Oregonian”
The Longview Daily News also covered Ruby’s reunion with her old friend Jim Williams
KOMO TV in Seattle interviewed Ruby and featured her in their news report
June, 2015 Margaret Hazen and Jim Sweet picked Ruby up in their private plane at the Toledo airport, flew her to Port Townsend for lunch at a cafe on the side of the landing strip, and then to their home in Friday Harbor.
Ruby co-piloting
Ruby and Margaret overlooking Friday Harbor
Ruby and Jim
The 2017 Castle Rock Christmas Light Parade
Dec 2017: Ruby in the cab of Rod and Sharon Kirk’s antique fire engine, in the Castle Rock Christmas Light Parade
In May of 2020, Ruby is interviewed by The Daily News regarding life in an assisted living facility during Covid
Mindy Klein and her staff have been keeping Ruby safe and happy at The Villager since 2016. Ruby’s family are so grateful for the quality of life they have given her ❤️
Ruby is interviewed regarding the Castle Rock Beautification Team’s Focus on Feeding Families Project during Covid (and she used a naughty word!)
Fast-forward to 1:44 to see Ruby discussing the Castle Rock Community Garden, 2020
Happy 100th Birthday Gramie Ruby and Love from your whole family!
Thanks to the love and support of family and friends all over the country, Ruby ended up receiving over 500 cards celebrating her 100th birthday! She was overjoyed ❤️
In addition, Ruby’s community came together to hold a socially distanced parade in celebration of her birthday outside her retirement home in Castle Rock! ?
