Ruth Pastrana

PASTRANA, ELISE RUTH BUSER, 91, passed away on Sunday, August 19, after a brief illness.

Ruth was born on March 15th, 1921, on Holly Beach Farm near the Bay Bridge. She was the sixth of seven children born to Swiss immigrants Henry and Elise Buser. The Buser family moved from Holly Beach Farm to West Street, then to Harness Creek, and eventually settled on Elliott Road in Eastport when Ruth was about 3 years old.

Ruth attended Eastport Elementary and Greenstreet Elementary After completing the 7th grade, her class was permitted to skip the 8th grade to attend the newly constructed Maryland Hall. She graduated from Annapolis High School in 1938. She worked at G.C.Murphy & Company in downtown Annapolis where she was courted by the late Charles A. Pastrana, son of Puerto Rican immigrants Juan Diaz and Julia Miro Pastrana. Ruth and Charlie married in 1940, built their home two doors down from her parents, and eventually became the parents of nine children.

Ruth embraced her role as the matriarch and cornerstone of the Pastrana family on Elliott Road. Her strong but gentle approach to everyday life was the perfect complement to her husband's bold enthusiasm in athletics, patriotism, and business. As a new bride, she was a Navy wife who took in families during the war years while her sailor was at sea. Upon his return, Ruth worked alongside Charlie, applying her natural talents and skills as the secretary and bookkeeper for his growing masonry business. For more than 40 years she enjoyed keeping the home based family business strong while managing her household and raising their nine children with kindness and grace.

As Ruth's children grew into adults and after Charlie's passing in 1988, Ruth became the quintessential active senior citizen. She enjoyed dancing, golfing, traveling, and playing bridge with her many dear friends. She welcomed the arrival of the grandchildren and great grandchildren as if each were her one and only treasure. A true Annapolitan, her favorite pastimes included walking "into town and back", picking hard crabs, frying up soft crab sandwiches, and deciding who was serving the best crab cakes in town. Even into her 90th year Ruth looked forward to her daily preparation of hearty noontime meals for the "lunch bunch" (her sons) of Charles A. Pastrana & Sons Inc.

Ruth's unusual patience and gentleness made her a pleasure to be around. She enjoyed a happy and purposeful life. She was a supreme example of strength, beauty, and contentment. Everyone who knew her agreed she was extraordinary. Ruth is survived by her best friend of 14 years, Dr. Robert Odenwald; her three daughters, Lyn (Dan) Durland, Kate "Denise" (Damien) Howard, and Dawn (Dean) Powell; her six sons, Charles Alan (Diane), Richard (Gina), Robert (Laura Gill), Ronald (Anita), Roger (Juli), and Russell (Paula); 25 adoring grandchildren, 16 precious great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. She will be greatly missed.

Visitation will be at Taylor Funeral Home on Duke of Gloucester on Friday, August 24th, from 2-4pm, and from 6-8 pm. The funeral service will be held at Annapolis Evangelical Church at 710 Ridgely Avenue, at 10 am on Saturday, August 25th. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome memorial contributions in Ruth's name to Hospice of the Chesapeake, 445 Defense Highway, Annapolis, 21401. Online condolences may be made at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com