Ruth Mathews-Getz

1915 - 2018

Ruth Mathews-Getz

Paradise Valley - Mathews-Getz , Ruth Deibel

Ruth D. Mathews-Getz, 102, of Paradise Valley, Arizona passed away peacefully at her residence on March 16, 2018. Ruth was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 22, 1915 to Adele Steininger Deibel and Fredrick Harold Deibel. She was the eldest of two children and graduated from Mary Institute in 1934. She is predeceased by her brother Edward S. Deibel who passed in 1967 and is survived by her first cousin John E. Deibel and family.

Ruth married Edmund T. Allen in 1938 in St. Louis. She was an active member of the Edgewood Children's Center and the Junior League of St. Louis. She was blessed with and is survived by three children, Edmund T. Allen, III, Bruce R. Allen, Suzanne A. Funsch, five grandchildren Randy S. Funsch, Ted Funsch, Cynthia J. Funsch, Whitney Allen, Kevin B. Allen and two great grandchildren.

Ruth married Robert Fulton Mathews in 1954 in St. Louis (deceased December 17, 1976). She was blessed with and is survived by her daughter, Jeanne Mathews Harrison (husband William Byrd), two grandchildren Emily Wurtzebach (husband Zack), Zachary Harrison (wife Kerstin) and three great grandchildren. She is survived by three stepchildren Maryan M. Kelly, Patricia A. Mathews, Thomas A. Mathews and Robert F. Mathews, Jr. (deceased 12/16/92) (wife Katherine), four grandchildren Caitlin Emily Price, Kendall Ann Mathews, Alexis Kelly Woolley, Courtney Kelly Kuhn and five great grandchildren.

Ruth moved to Arizona with Robert in 1960 and was a member of the Arizona Costume Institute, Barrows Neurological Women's Board, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix Art Museum, Desert Botanical Gardens, Paradise Valley Country Club, Valley Field Riding and Polo Club and supporter of the "Hall of Flame". In 1969, Ruth was the founding President of the Women's Auxiliary of the Scottsdale Boys Club and from 1989-2005 served as an Arizona Regent for the Kenmore Association (The George Washington Foundation of Fredericksburg, VA).

Ruth and Robert were partners in a cattle ranch in Sierra County, California where she enjoyed riding and ranch life. In the 60s from their house in Scottsdale, Ruth and Robert (Bob) would ride their horses to El Chorro Restaurant in Paradise Valley. She, on various occasions, stated that: "The outside of a horse is good for the inside of man".

Ruth fell in love and partnered with George F. Getz, Jr. from 1983 until his death in 1992.

She and George enjoyed spending time in Taos, New Mexico, the Shores in Hawaii, and the Balboa Club and "Las Casitas" in Mazatlan, Mexico.

Ruth enjoyed spending time with her family and friends in Tubac AZ and will be missed by her Tubac friends.

Ruth will be remembered for her love, caring, kindness, and compassion for others. One of her expressions was "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything ". She will be missed by all of her friends and the Deibel, Allen, Mathews and Getz families.

There will be a private memorial Celebration of Life service and she will be interred at St. Barnabas Memorial Garden in Paradise Valley next to her partner, George F. Getz, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Desert Botanical Gardens or your favorite charity.