Ruth Luella Bunde

Ruth Luella Bunde, beloved wife, mom, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother and mother-in-law, passed peacefully in her sleep on September 21, 2019.

Her sweet and loving nature was her hallmark, making all feel welcome and loved.  Her greatest joy was being grandmother to Sarah, Kristen and Michael.  Her world revolved around them, help with homework, reading stories, pick-ups from school, a thermos of milk and cookies on the seat beside her. 

She cherished her sisters and her deeply ingrained sense of family prevailed everywhere in her life.  She delicately wrapped and saved notes, letters, announcements, report cards, homework, photographs, gifts and mementos for safekeeping. 

Ruth was born in Inland Nebraska on January 3rd, 1931 to Luella and Paul Stimbert.  Spending her youth in Inland, Nebraska, her large family of six sisters and two brothers eventually moved to Hastings, Nebraska where her father took work in town. There, at the local roller-skating rink, she stole Kens heart with her sweet face and impressive ability to skate backwards!  They were married in September of 1949, moved to California and welcomed their first son, Gary David (deceased) in 1956 and Michael Wayne in 1958.

Ruth was an avid stamp and coin collector. She loved Norman Rockwell, Thomas Kinkade and enjoyed a large collection of Precious Moments figurines.  Later, once a bird feeder and bird bath had been installed outside their sliding back door, hours where spent enjoying and discussing the different birds and bird shenanigans with Ken during their meals.

Ruth will be deeply missed by her entire family, especially by her loving husband of 70 years, Ken, whom devotedly visited, kept the conversation alive and held her hand daily for the last several years.

She is survived by her husband, Ken, her son, Mike, his wife Jennifer, Mike’s children, Sarah, Kristen and Michael, and seven great-grandchildren.  

THE DASH

the poem by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning… to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth and spoke of the following date with tears,

but he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time they spent alive on earth

and now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars… the house… the cash.

What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard; are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left that still can be rearranged.

To be less quick to anger and show appreciation more

and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile…

remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash,

would you be proud of the things they say about how you lived your dash?

...Family in the care of Erin Arteaga, Funeral Director