Ruth Pribble

Ruth Pribble

Ruth Pribble, a long time resident of Costa Mesa, passed away at her home on May 26, 2008 at the age of 88.

She was born Ruth Cornelia Pope in rural Oklahoma on February 2, 1920. She grew up in small towns in Southern Oklahoma where her father worked in the oil fields. Oklahoma was also where she met her future husband L.W. (Lew) Pribble, Jr. They were married August 13, 1942, but spent much of the first years of their marriage apart as Lew served in the Army in Europe during WWII. They raised their three children in Beaver, Pennsylvania during the 1950s until moving to California in 1964 and eventually to Costa Mesa in the mid-1970s.

Everyone who knew Ruth realized that she loved to be of service to everyone she met and was a frequent and tireless volunteer wherever she lived. She and Lew were founding donors and members of the Costa Mesa Senior Center where for many years she maintained and tended to the library as well as being an active participant in the events at the center. Even though her failing health slowed her down somewhat in the past few years, she still ate lunch at the center most weekdays and would gladly help out by setting the tables. Ruth and Lew were also long time members at Mesa Verde United Methodist Church, where Ruth was also an active volunteer.

Apart from caring for and nurturing her family and friends, Ruth had many interests. She grew up with a love of baseball and always supported her home team wherever she lived. She loved to sew and at one time made many of her own clothes as well as outfits for her daughter and her dolls. She enjoyed gardening, having a remarkable green thumb and the ability to make anything grow anywhere, but she especially loved her roses, which often graced the dining room table. Ruth was an excellent cook and enjoyed trying out new recipes on family and friends. She was an avid reader, which no doubt fueled her interest in the Senior Center library. Ruth also loved to travel and was fortunate enough to have visited dozens of countries on five continents over the years with Lew.

Those who met Ruth throughout her life were charmed by her delightful personality, her quick wit, easygoing manner, and above all else her compassion and empathy. Those qualities and so much more about her will be dearly missed by her three children who survive her, Larry, Gary, and Sandra; her grandchildren, Danny, Deena, Kelli, and Garrett; her daughters-in-law, Cheri and Michele; and her nieces Sharon and Ann. That Ruth was able to live comfortably in her home even after her health began to decline the past couple of years is in great measure due to the love and excellent care she received from her caregivers Stella, Rosa, Daniela, and Sonia, who were as charmed by her as we all were and treated her as though she were their own mother, for which her family is grateful.

Her remains will be sent for burial in a family plot in Duncan, Oklahoma; however, a memorial service celebrating Ruth’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at Mesa Verde United Methodist Church at 1701 W. Baker, Costa Mesa. A reception will be held immediately after the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in the name of Ruth Pribble to Mesa Verde United Methodist Church, 1701 W. Baker, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, (714) 979-8234 or to the Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19th Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92627, (949) 645-2356.