Nash Ruiz

Nash Ruiz Nash Ruiz, age 98, of San Rafael, California passed away June 18, 2013. Funeral Service: June 28, 2013, 11:00 a.m. at Keaton's Mortuary, 1022 E Street, San Rafael, CA 94901. Burial Service: July 2, 2013 11:00 a.m. at Stockton Rural Cemetery, 2350 Cemetery Lane Stockton, CA 95205. Nash was born Nemesio Rodriguez Ruiz in San Luis Zoyatlan, Jalisco, Mexico. When he was fifteen years old, he and his mother, Luisa Rodriguez Ruiz, and father, Heliodoro Ruiz, older brothers, Maximiliano and Sarturio, older sister, Amparo, and younger brother, Velisario, all left Mexico and came to America. Once settled in California, Nash worked in the brickyards of Simons (Los Angeles area) with his father and his brothers. Baby sister, Consuelo, soon joined the family. After his parents separated, Nash, his mother, Velisario and Consuelo, moved to the Central Valley of California. Nash supported his mother, Consuelo and Velisario, working as a farm hand all over the San Joaquin Valley. In 1939 when he was 25 years old, he married Mary Rita Del Rio. They were newlyweds, living in Stockton, California, when he volunteered to join the Navy after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. During the War for the Pacific, Nash served as a Fireman First Class aboard the destroyer tender, U.S.S. Sierra. After victory over Japan, Nash was honorably discharged from the Navy in December of 1945. In thanks for his service, America made Nash a citizen. After the war, Nash and Mary bought a home in Stockton. They had a baby girl in 1948. Nash and Mary both worked at Laurel Pottery in Stockton. Nash started a pottery shop called Sierra China in Stockton. At Sierra China he designed and carved the original molds for a complete line of dinnerware. He created and designed a ceramic "TV dinner" tray. When Sierra China closed in 1959, Nash and Mary relocated to the Bay Area. They found work as potters with Edith Heath Ceramics in Sausalito, California in 1961. For over twenty years Mary and Nash worked together at Heath Ceramics. Mary was an accomplished and productive glazer. Nash became production manager and a life long friend of Brian and Edith Heath. Nash worked at Heath for almost thirty years, when he retired in 1989. Nash and Mary enjoyed retirement and each other. They loved to baby sit their grandchildren. They traveled to Mexico, Spain and Hawaii. They loved to entertain their family: Mary was a great cook, and Nash mixed a great margarita. They loved their family and never missed a family reunion. Nash and Mary had been married 73 years when she died in 2011. Nash was at her side when she passed away. Nash is survived by his daughter, Nedra Lichter, and her husband, Laurence, grandson, Solomon Nemesio Lichter, granddaughters, Rebecca Luisa Ruiz y Lichter, Susanna Pearl Lichter, great grandchildren, Carmine and Nadia, and their mother, Allison (ne Spurlock) Lichter. Nash is mourned by many nieces and nephews. He was a dear uncle to Rita Castellanos, Richard Ruiz, Robert Ruiz, and Emma Ruiz Torres. Nash was intelligent, hardworking, faithful and loving. He was a wonderful son, brother, husband, and father and a great mentor to all who knew him. He was a fair boss and many of his employees became his life long friends. In the seventies he was in a bad automobile accident. He received over a hundred get well cards and his garbage men sent him flowers. He died in the fond embrace of his beloved grandson.