Former member Ruth Van Unen died March 7 at age 92 in a care facility near her daughter in San Francisco. She joined UUSS in 1999 and served a term as board president (2000-01), but Ruth was most familiar as the cheerful organizer for our all-ages weekend every June at Camp Norge.

Rev. Roger will provide information about a memorial service in person and online to be held at her daughter’s congregation; later we’ll let you know about the interment of her cremated remains at the Veterans’ National Cemetery in Dixon.  Memorial Contributions to honor her memory may be made to UUSS   (to the Heritage Fund or to the Family Ministry budget line to support the all-ages camp this June), or to any other organization to which you and Ruth shared a commitment.

Below is a tribute written by Ruth’s youngest daughter, Ruth Ellen Miller:

Ruth Van Unen, the middle of nine children, was born in 1931 in Yuma, Arizona. She grew up in Arizona and California–the family moved frequently, and it was a busy household. After high school, Ruth joined the Air Force in 1953, where she was a dispatcher and met pilot Glenn Miller. They married, then left the Air Force to move to Michigan. Together, they created and loved four children. After a divorce in 1965, Ruth and the children moved to Santa Cruz.

There she attended Cabrillo College, then completed her AA at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. Ruth started work as a social worker in San Luis Obispo county, then became a Veterans Service officer. She moved to Sacramento in 1978 to complete work toward her BA at Sacramento State University. Ruth started attending our church around the same time, then moved away for work around 1986. Her last professional position was as a Chief Veterans Service Officer in San Luis Obispo county. Ruth returned to Sacramento in 1999 to enjoy her retirement.

Ruth loved many things–her children, reading, public service, politics, her time in the military, and animated conversations. She was a great and consistent volunteer. Ruth’s health declined early in 2020 and she moved to San Francisco late that year. Since then, she has been under care due to a decline in her memory. Despite a number of health challenges, Ruth remained warm, welcoming, and developed a gift for making people laugh. She remained resilient and brave to the end of her life. Ruth died on March 7 at the age of 91 of heart failure. Plans are in process for a memorial service here.