Kern County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....(Rickenbacher) McMullen, Ruth Louise March 26, 2005
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K T bluewolf@onemain.com March 30, 2005, 1:29 am

The Bakersfield Californian 
Ruth McMullen
April 7, 1910 - March 26, 2005

Ruth Louise McMullen went to her heavenly home on Saturday, March 26, 2005, at 
the age of 94. She was born on April 7, 1910 to Mr. And Mrs. William John 
Rickenbacher in Topeka, Kansas. She is preceded in death by her husband, 
George, who passed away in 1977 and her sister, Helen Naylor from Wichita, KS. 
Ruth is survived by 5 children, David McMullen and his wife, Sharon in San 
Pedro, CA, Sylvia and her husband, Jerry Griffith in Sun City, CA, Phil 
McMullen and his wife, Nancy from Bakersfield, John McMullen and his wife, 
Cathy in Brentwood, CA and Steve McMullen from Torrance, CA. She had 13 
grandchildren and 44 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. 

Ruth grew up on a farm in Topeka, Kansas, She graduated from Washburn 
University with a degree in public school music and married George McMullen 
after three years of teaching. She spent the next 15 years bearing and raising 
their 5 children while teaching music in the public schools in Topeka. George 
and Ruth moved to California in 1954 after their middle child, Phil, graduated 
from Topeka High School. Ruth obtained her MA in education from Cal State 
Northridge in the same graduation ceremony in which her son, John, received 
his BA. Following graduation she continued teaching in the Los Angeles Unified 
School District for 25 years as well as in Watts at the time of the riots. 
Always eager for adventure and travel, Ruth took a year off to purchase and 
manage a motel in Lake Tahoe with her husband, George.

Following Georges death, Ruth joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) 
and helped begin a Senior Center in Austin, Texas. This experience led to work 
with an Abused Womens center in Ventura, California.

While living in Bakersfield, CA, Ruth taught part-time in a math program, and 
was active in the 60 Plus Club, Retired Teachers Association, AARP, the 
Community Center, the Anchor Club and the Womens Association at the First 
Presbyterian Church, before moving to Anaheim and later to Sun City to be 
close to her daughter, Sylvia. At Nohl Ranch Inn, an Anaheim Hills Retirement 
home, Ruth was nominated and chosen as Senior Citizen fo the Year in the city 
of Anaheim largely due to her formation of an AARP chapter at the retirement 
home.

Ruth traveled much of the United States and then abroad through the 
Elderhostel program. Her last years were spent back in Bakersfield where she 
returned to the First Presbyterian Church amongst many dear friends.

Ruth had a can-do-positive philosphy that she leaves as a legacy to all of her 
family who will miss her greatly.

The family would like to thank the support groups at First Presbyterian 
Church, Dr. Ed Nichols, and the fine folks at Pleasant Care and Hoffman 
Hospice for all their encouragement and help. In lieu of flowers, donations 
may be made to the First Presbyterian Church in her honor.

A Memorial service will be held at Rose Hills Mortuary in Whittier at the 
Hillside Chapel on Wednesday, March 30, 2005, at 1:00 p.m. 


Additional Comments:
Volunteer submission - No relation to deceased.

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