Ruth W (Heintze) Richmond

Ruth W. Richmond (formerly Heintze) died the evening of August 3, 2023, in Napa, at the age of 98.

Ruth was born at Sutter General Hospital in Sacramento to Carl F. and Bertha I. Heintze in 1924. Her father died when she was not quite two years old and she grew up in her grandparents' home at 1414 First Street in Napa. Surrounded by a large, extended family, downtown Napa was her playground. She recalled climbing on the steel girders of the Napa Post Office when it was under construction.

Ruth attended local schools, graduating from Napa High School in 1942. Thanks to a $1,000 life insurance policy her father had taken out when she was born, she attended San Jose State University. She loved libraries and studied library science before changing her major to business.

It was while she was a college student that Ruth met her future husband, George L. Richmond, who was an industrial arts teaching major. She graduated from college on June 20, 1947, and was married the next day at Napa Methodist Church.

After a short time in Mt. Shasta, Ruth and her family moved to Santa Rosa. Ruth's innate discipline and organizational skills served her well as a housewife. She made an art out of keeping house. The dishes were always done, the beds were always made and dinner was on the table at 5:30 every night. The cookie jar was always filled with homemade cookies. She loved interior design and it was not uncommon for her children to come home from school and find the living room rearranged. She supported her children in all their activities, volunteering for PTA, Camp Fire Girls, 4-H and Boy Scouts. She also was a volunteer at the Welfare League Thrift Shop.

When her children were older, Ruth began a career in the Santa Rosa City Unified School District, starting as a part-time classroom aide and eventually retiring as Robert Zeni's secretary, at the time the vice principal of Piner High School.

In retirement, Ruth and George traveled extensively, taking driving trips to nearly every state park in California as well as Baja, Alaska and Nova Scotia. She also traveled to Europe, visiting London, Paris and Austria.

After her husband's death in 1994, Ruth moved to Oakmont Village, where she remodeled and decorated another home and made a whole new set of friends. During this time, she volunteered for Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, serving as the manager of the gift shop. As a member of the Sonoma County Museum Auxiliary, she was featured as "May" in Grand Dames of Sonoma County, a tongue-in-cheek spoof of classic cheesecake calendars produced as a fundraiser for the museum.

At 85, Ruth moved to The Meadows of Napa Valley, where she once again found satisfaction in decorating her home and entertaining a wide circle of friends. It was here that she fulfilled her childhood ambition to be a librarian by managing the resident library.

Raised in the Napa Methodist Church, Ruth was a member of First United Methodist Church of Santa Rosa for more than 50 years. After moving back to Napa, she joined First Presbyterian Church of Napa. She also was a member of PEO, Santa Rosa, Chapter TH and Napa, Chapter BW.

Ruth is survived by her four children: Christine Dunn, Patricia Demaderios, David (Sandy) and Peter (Leslie). She also leaves behind nine grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and her husband, she was predeceased by her brother, Carl F. Heintze II.

A memorial service will be held in the future.

Memorial contributions can be made in Ruth's memory to Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, 204 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404; or Napa County Historical Society, 1219 First Street, Napa, CA, 94559.

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