Ruth Louise Strand

Ruth Louise Strand
Ruth was born in Gypsum, Colorado to Lawrence and Helen Steinhoff and spent most of her childhood in Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado. She graduated from Roosevelt High School in Seattle, Washington. After graduating she worked in the insurance business in Idaho, Colorado and later Portland, Oregon where she met and married her husband Lloyd Strand. They raised a family of five children in Portland and then moved to Monmouth, Oregon in 1964, where her husband worked at U.S. Bank.
In the more than 50 years that Ruth lived in Monmouth, she became deeply involved in her community and Faith Lutheran Church. Besides her many church activities she was involved in multiple community groups including Monmouth-Independence Community Arts Association, RIM (Recycling Independence Monmouth), Emeritus Society at Western Oregon University and Peer Counseling for the Tri-County Senior Services.
Ruth ran a day care center out of her home for many years in Monmouth and helped "raise" dozens of children. Nothing made her happier than being surrounded by her "kids" and of course, her grandchildren. She later worked at Western Oregon University where she loved working with students and staff.
Ruth was beloved by all and touched many hearts throughout her life. Her faith in God and her church was an inspiration to all that she met. Ruth always saw the good in everyone. She was always the first to volunteer to help when others were in need. The dozens of Facebook posts that describe her as the "kindest and most loving person" are a testament to the way she lived her life.
She was preceded in death by two sons, two grandchildren and her husband, Lloyd, in 1994.
She is survived by daughters Carole Gardner of Independence, OR and Laurie Pedersen of San Rafael, CA and sons Jeffrey Strand of Dallas, OR and Bruce Strand of Salem, OR as well as ten grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and one great-great granddaughter and her brother Harold Steinhoff of Windsor, CO.