Ruth Ellin Simak (née Lapides) passed away on December 25, 2021, in San Diego, Calif. at the age of 96 after a short illness. Hers was a long life well lived. Ruth was wife to Martin (Marty) Simak (d. September 1999), mother to Herbert, Alan and Leonard and grandmother to Jake, Rachael, Josh and Ben.

Ruth was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1925. She earned her teaching credentials and taught at one of the toughest middle schools in New York, an excellent match for her no- nonsense approach to raising and teaching children.

Ruth met the love of her life, Marty, at a resort in Vermont, and they were married in 1953. She left her beloved New York and moved to Quebec City. Ruth took up the language challenge, became fluent in French and ended up using her teaching credentials to teach English to French-speaking executives.

Ruth was also elected president of the American Colony Society in Quebec City and ran several very successful charitable fundraisers, with donations going to various groups working with less fortunate people in the city.

In 1978, Ruth and Marty moved to San Diego. Ruth maintained her teaching credentials and taught at Correa Middle School. She also began a lifelong passion for Japanese flower arranging (ikebana). An elite bridge player, Ruth organized a weekly bridge club and played tournament bridge into her 90s. She pursued her fitness goals at the YMCA, loved to swim in the ocean with her golden retriever, Poco, and did aquafit at the condo pool.

Ruth will also be remembered for her love of baking. When you visited Ruth, her favourite question was “What can I get you to eat?” She loved to make her rum tortes, Kirsch cake, Hamantaschen and her signature Schmeten Torte to feed your sweet tooth.

If you knew Ruth and are reading this obituary, raise a glass and cheer L’Chaim! In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your charity of choice.