Our beautiful and elegant mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by family on August 4, 2013. She was born on February 4, 1925 to Ralph and Blanche Walter Lamb and grew up in the San Francisco Bay area.
Ruth always said her life began when she met a tall, handsome Navy cadet with the unusual name of Arvo Van Alstyne. Their love story is one for the movies. Long story short, Ruth and Arvo married in Oakland, CA on May 21, 1945. After Ruth was baptized into the LDS church, she and Arvo were sealed in the Mesa, AZ temple.
They went on to have six children. They made their home in Los Angeles where Arvo was a law professor at UCLA. They eventually settled in Salt Lake City when Arvo transferred to the University of Utah in 1966. Ruth and Arvo traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe, usually with their children in tow, allowing Ruth to exercise her excellent organizational skills. We wonder how our parents maintained their senses of humor and kept their sanity during those travels. Ruth expressed her creativity through the professional-quality clothing and Halloween costumes she made for her children. She was ever the perfect hostess; she always made her guests feel welcome and comfortable, regardless if they were formally invited or our friends just hanging out.
Next to her family, these were a few of her favorite things: The Sound of Music, socializing, laughing, beautiful flowers, Lindt chocolate, ice cream, a good hamburger, and the right shade of lipstick. Ruth especially treasured her friends in the Monument Park 13th Ward. She will be remembered for her impeccable taste, strong faith, and great sense of humor, all of which she maintained to the end.
Ruth is survived by her six children: David (Annie), Peter (Mary Ann), Laura (Dave) Rowland, Philip (Brooke), Sara (Bruce) Robinson, and Kristina (Clark) Holladay, 24 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by her husband, parents, and 3 sisters.
Funeral services will be held Monday, August 12th at 12 noon at the Monument Park Stake Center (1320 S. Wasatch Dr.) Viewings will be Sunday from 6-8 pm at Larkin Sunset Lawn (2350 E 1300 S) and Monday from 10:30-11:30 am at the church. Interment at Larkin Sunset Lawn.
The family thanks the staff and caregivers of Right At Home and Intermountain Hospice for their excellent and compassionate care of our mother.
