Ruth M. Strange
August 3, 1929 – Feb. 8, 2020
Ruth Mahr Strange, 90, died at home in Ceres, February 8, 2020 after a short illness. Ruth was born in Antioch, Calif., on August 3, 1929 to Bernard and Bess (Templar) Mahr, the younger of two children. She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Cindy (David) Zellman, grandchildren Matthew Zellman (Grace Person), Andrew (Kristine) Zellman, and Rebecca (Earl) Duque, and great-grandchildren, Malachi, Sybil and Jeremiah. She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband of 58 years, Roger, her daughter, Linda, and her sister, Helen Mahr.
Ruth grew up in Antioch, graduated from Antioch High School in 1947, and graduated with a teaching credential from San Jose State College in 1951. She married her high school sweetheart, Roger Strange two days after college graduation. They lived for a brief time in Hanford, then in Pacific Grove and San Francisco while her husband served in the United States Army from 1951-1953.
In 1953 they moved to Ceres, where Roger worked at Ceres Drug Store, which they eventually purchased. Ruth was a homemaker while their children were growing up, then she worked at the drug store with her husband until their retirement in 1984.
Ruth was a charter member of Harvest Presbyterian Church, Ceres, and was active in the Ceres Soroptimist Club, the Ceres Historical Society, and the Yosemite Conservancy. She was very involved for many years with the American Field Service, and hosted a student, Anthy Karra from Greece.
Ruth had a lifelong passion for travel, visiting over 50 countries and all 50 states with her husband. She had a special love of Yosemite, where she and Roger volunteered for the Yosemite Association from 1997 to 2001.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Harvest Presbyterian Church, 1813 Moffet Rd, Ceres on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Harvest Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund, 1813 Moffet Road, Ceres CA 95307; or to the Yosemite Conservancy, 101 Montgomery Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco CA 94104.
–Ceres (Calif.) Courier
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020
