Ruth A. Minton

Ruth Alice Minton, age 96, died peacefully on October 24, 2021. Ruth was born on May 28, 1925, in Long Beach, California; the daughter of Clyde and Helen Mather. She grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Ramona Convent Secondary School in Alhambra, CA.

Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Richard and her two sisters, Grace Mather and Dorothy Beall. Survivors include her children, Susan Anderson (Harvey), Stephen Minton (Patrice), Mary Minton, and Laura White (Timothy); eight grandchildren - Kyle Anderson, Keith Anderson, Alex Anderson, Jake Minton, Elizabeth Minton, Matthew Johnson, Jessica White and Liam White, and four great grandchildren - Maya, Brynne, Anya and Adaline.

Following high school graduation, Ruth took an administrative job with the federal government in Los Angeles. After World War 2 she and her high school friend Gloria traveled to Hawaii for a vacation. They both fell in love with the island and decided to look for work there rather than returning to California. Ruth found a job as an administrative assistant to the Chief of Personnel at Tripler hospital at Fort Shafter in Honolulu. It was there that she met her future husband, an Army doctor recently out of medical school, Richard Minton. They were married within a year. Following Richard’s Army discharge the couple headed back to Milwaukee where Richard was enrolled in a residency program in internal medicine at the VA hospital. Following the residency program Richard took a two year position at the Gorgas Hospital in the Panama Canal Zone to study tropical medicine. While in Panama Ruth worked in the hospital auxiliary where one of her jobs was to pick flowers weekly, arrange them in vases and set them out on the wards. Creating flower arrangements was something she loved throughout her life. From Panama they moved to Racine where Richard set up a practice at the Kurten Medical Clinic. By this time they had two children with another on the way. They built a house in Wind Point where they eventually raised three daughters and a son. As the children grew up she became involved in all of their activities and schools - Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Pony Club, skiing, tennis or simply going to the beach. Throughout her years in Racine she was involved in the St Mary’s hospital auxiliary primarily in the Gift Shop at the hospital. She was an avid tennis player at the North Shore Club, and later in life took up golf at the Racine Country Club. She loved to travel all over the country and abroad especially to somewhere warm during the Wisconsin winters. She loved going back to southern California and often wondered why anyone who had been there would want to leave. She was happiest when spending time with her family and with the great friends she met over the years in Racine.

The family would like to thank the caring and compassionate staff at Volunteer Hospice of Clallum County for their kind care during this difficult time.

A celebration of her life will be held for her by family at a later date.

Donations in her name can be made to one of the following Hospice Alliance (https://www.hospicealliance.org/support-us/) or Volunteer Hospice of Clallum County (https://www.vhocc.org/give)