Ruth (Brown) Reifer

Ruth (Brown) Reifer

REIFER: Ruth (Brown) Reifer, July 15, 1922 – January 30, 2016. Ruth Brown was born and raised in Pittsburgh.  She later moved with her family to Los Angeles.  After meeting and marrying Morton Reifer, they lived in St. Louis, Mo., Chicago, Belle Harbor, N.Y., Manhattan, Rancho Mirage, Calif., and finally Eugene, Ore.  Ruthie loved to dance and had a great appreciation for beauty. Before meeting her husband, she worked as an assistant to a fashion designer in California.  She had a wonderful sense of style and always looked her best. Ruthie contributed to Morty’s business success by helping to entertain his clients, which she did graciously and beautifully, creating many fun evenings around the dinner table. Wherever she lived, she involved herself fully in the community, activities, and charities.  Some of the places Ruthie volunteered over the years include Peninsula Hospital, West End Temple, Inwood Country Club, Tamarisk Country Club, The Children’s Desert Museum, Palm Springs Museum, Eisenhower Hospital and Pegasus.  She practiced yoga, and danced throughout her entire life.  It was not unusual for her children to come home from school to find Ruthie standing on her head, in a yoga pose.  Ruthie was adventurous, always willing to try new foods and activities.  She has held a Koala, rode a camel, parasailed, walked on a glacier, and traveled with Morty all over the world. When Ruth and Mort moved to the senior community, Willamette Oaks, in Oregon, she participated in all of the activities.  In a one week period Ruth could be found playing music in a drumming circle, hula dancing, flower arranging, exercising, discussing current events, visiting a Bible study class and the atheist group (on different days), practicing Chi breathing, going to the book club meeting, line dancing, and working at the gift shop. She learned and remembered everyone’s name.  However, it seemed that Ruthie was her happiest on the dance floor with her husband. She loved her daughters Teri and Jackie, son-in-laws Jan and John, her grandchildren Micah, Selina and Kate, her sister Betty, the extended family, and her dear friends.  We can clearly see her now, dancing with her favorite partner, Morty.

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