Ruth Stringham

Ruth Robins Stringham

Into every life is born an influence for good, and such an influence was our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, Ruth Robins Stringham. She passed peacefully from this life at the age of 97 on Friday, May 29, 2015, with her husband of 72 years by her side. She wanted more than anything to express her love and gratitude to each family member and friend for their lives and love which influenced her every day.

Her love of life and her will to live extended her mortal sojourn many times through numerous health challenges. At bedtime just a few days before her passing she announced, now under hospice care and restricted in a hospital bed, that “No!” she wasn’t going to go to sleep and added with a twinkle in her eye, “I don’t want to miss out on all the fun!”

She was born April 22, 1918, in Kaysville, UT, the 4 ^th of Glen F. and Lola Robins’ 8 children. Her first life-changing challenge came in 8 ^th grade when an accident damaged her right eye and eventually resulted in her having an artificial eye. Her family and friends rallied around her as she healed and adjusted to this transition over the next few years. She never felt that her abilities or capabilities to accomplish were lessened in any degree – nor did anyone who knew her!!

She graduated from Davis High in 1936 and earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education with a dance emphasis from the University of Utah in 1939. Her performance of the Shimmy at the U of U brought the house down and she was called back for an encore!  She enjoyed and taught many forms of dance throughout her life and in her 80s and 90s still delighted in performing a few Charleston steps for family and friends. Shortly before her 97 ^th birthday she surprised us all by participating in a ballroom dancing activity at the Seville that won her the top prize of a box of chocolates!

In 1941 Ruth accepted a teaching position in Vernal, UT where the petite, vivacious “Miss Robins” (“Miss Personality” as she became known) met and won the heart of a local young man, Mark W. Stringham. Their courtship was disrupted as WWII broke out and Mark enlisted in the Navy a few months later in 1942. Their plans for a temple marriage were postponed. Finally her handsome fiancée sent a telegram from Virginia asking her to meet him in New York and marry him while on his 10-day leave. This soon-to be war bride rode the crowded train for four days from Utah to New York City where they were married on February 18, 1943. They enjoyed their brief honeymoon and then she rode the train four days back to Utah while her husband set out to sea aboard the Destroyer USS Chaplain. She wrote him every day of his three plus years in the service!

The following year their marriage was solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. Ruth and Mark centered their lives on the Lord Jesus Christ, His Church and His Gospel and devoted themselves to raising their four children and serving the Lord. They also had the opportunity to help raise several of their grandchildren. Their lives are still blessed and richly rewarded from this labor of love and the close bonds they developed. She often said, “There is no possession, no amount of money to compare with the love of our family.”

Eventually they settled in Lodi, CA where they lived for 21 years, raised their children and helped to build the Church. Ruth has always been an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many positions in Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary on both the ward and stake levels. She and her husband also served as stake and ward missionaries.

In 1977 after teaching 29 years (21 in Lodi and eight in UT & ID) Ruth and Mark retired to Provo, UT to be closer to family. In 1980 they were called on a Welfare Service Mission in Guatemala where they shared their knowledge of sewing, gardening, canning and food preservation, and English. They also served as temple workers in the Provo Temple.

Ruth was also a member of the California Teachers’ Association and Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

She is survived by her husband Mark W. Stringham, Orem; sons, Gregory M. (Merrily) Stringham, Cheyenne, WY; Kent R. (Teri) Stringham, Clovis, CA; daughters, Melanie Peine, Pleasant Grove; LaNae S. (Gary) Morrill, Orem; 24 grandchildren, , 63 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, 3 step-grandchildren; brother, Dee Robins, Farmington; and sister, Clover Carroll, Bountiful.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Alta Blood, LaRue Pack, Olive Bringhurst, Bonnie Heywood, Glenna Feller, and son-in-law Robert K. Peine.

Graveside services will be held Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 11 am at Kaysville City Cemetery, 500 E. Crestwood Road. Friends may visit family Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Lindquist’s Kaysville Mortuary, 400 North Main.

The family expresses their gratitude and appreciation to the staff at The Seville Retirement Center in Orem and Elevation Hospice for their kind and loving care.

In lieu of flowers please contribute generously to the General Missionary Fund or the Perpetual Education Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.