Ruth Cox Villalobos

I traveled a little bit of the tai chi road with Ruth. Twice we went to Canada for tai chi camp. My memories of our travels there, especially sharing rooms with her in Spokane and BC are similar to my memories of my grandmother in my youth. A wise old women who would gladly give you her wisdom, if only you can understand. Talks in the dark at night. The ranch was a bond, the cactus plant she cut and propogated.

B'H"

The Riverside California's T'ai Chi Ch'uan Community has lost a great leader and teacher.

Laoshr Ruth Villalobos died February 2nd, 2007. Ruth was a t'ai-chi ch'uan teacher, an artist and a nurse. She did it all, and nothing ever stopped her, until the very end. She was a strong independent woman.

Ruth Taught T'ai-chi ch'uan classes for many years for Riverside Community College's "Young At Heart" Program, Redlands Senior Center and Redlands Recreation Center. She was a t'ai-chi ch'uan student at University of California Riverside Student Recreation Center and Loma Linda University Drayson Center. She was the secretary for the NWTCCA Southern California Branch for many years.br>
Ruth studied Cheng Man-ch'ing Style t'ai-chi ch'uan in the 1960s as well as Zen with Suzuki Roshi. She studied Tchoung-Yang Style, San Shou, pushing hands and tai chi walking stick with me (Harvey Kurland) at University of Calfornia Riverside and Loma Linda University Drayson Center starting in 1990. She continued to train daily until just before her death. Even in her late 70's she was very hard to push over in pushing hands and would surprise younger students with her fajin, throwing them off balance. We would always get a chuckle at that. She was always happy to be in class and full of energy.

Ruth also Traveled to British Columbia to study with my teacher, Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-tchen and trained with my brother Sifu Andy Dale in Seattle and stayed in his dojo. She also attended the CTCCA Conference in Vancouver, BC

She attended several Summer Camps hosted by Sifu Eric Eastman of Nelson, BC. She would tell us stories about her travels to work out with Andy and Eric and how much she enjoyed those visits. Her memories were written on the obituary for Grandmaster Tchoung.

Ruth was a founding Member of the Zen Center of San Francisco and a supporter of the Aurobindo Center. She lived in India at the Aurobindo Auroville Center, was an artist in residence and studied meditation and spirituality there.

She was an accomplished painter. She painted some lovely pieces on Tchoung Ta-tchen and Kuo Lien Ying. She also worked on a painting of Andy Dale doing some t'ai-chi forms.

Ruth actively promoted t'ai-chi ch'uan and Zen meditation to benefit society and help people be happy and healthy. She actively promoted the World Tai Chi Day in Riverside. She was the force behind the programs at Riverside Community College and the WTCCD in Corona CA, motivating me to keep presenting t'ai-chi ch'uan to the public.

Ruth founded the Zen Meditation study group at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Riverside, CA. That group continued after she left the area.

Ruth also competed in t'ai-chi tournaments and won medals several times in the University of California Riverside T'ai-chi ch'uan Championshiops. She did everything she could to promote the art of t'ai-chi ch'uan and Zen meditation. She was a wonderful, bright person.

Ruth took ill last year and moved to Santa Cruz to be near her children. She continued to promote T'ai-chi in the senior center in Santa Cruz and workout with local groups. She was truly dedicated student of the art. A pure soul! A great friend. I will miss our conversations.

May She Rest in Peace,
Harvey Kurland

Ruth,you were such a valued friend to me and my family. We met in Santa Cruz at a meeting to plan a cooperative Art Gallery. And our friendship just grew from there. Among the many things I learned from you were some really good ways to prepare foods. My love to your family

There was music in her soul. There was nobody like her. She will come to mind often. My sympathy to Ruth's family.

Great Aunt Ruthie, to this day one of my favorite paintings is the Large Forest of Trees. I have spent my whole life admiring it. The Lord gave you such talent as an artist. Thank you for sharing it with others. Love Bessie

The bond of sisterhood cannot be severed by time or space. Often it was Ruth, my sister, who held my hand and protected me during the early years. She entertained me with her bedtime stories; she tutored me in my learning of the ABC's and taught me to count to 100. She ALWAYS had an answer for my questions. I now understand her need to escape to the backyard tree (with her precious books) for a time away. She didn't teach me to climb a tree.

Though I only Spent time with you a few times in my life,I really enjoyed the visits, and weep at the thought that i will no longer be able to visit and spend time with you. Thank you for being in my life Great Aunt Ruthie!

Ruth was a favorite teacher at Riverside Community College in our Young-at-Heart program. She enriched the lives of hundreds of students in her classes, with both her teaching and her warm and funny personality. She was a personal favorite instructor of mine, and I always loved it when she came into the office to talk about classes. Ruth's absence from our program will leave a hole we won't even try to fill. All the staff in our program at the college extend our sincere sympathy to Ruth's family.

My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.

It was a privilege to know Ruth. We played Tai Chi together many times. She came to our Tai Chi Retreat in Canada two times. I will always remember her laughter, stories and kind and gentle spirit.

Ruth was one of my Mom's best friends, We had some great times all us kids were extended family going on beach picnic and pottery making adventures, going swimming in Ben Lomond, Camping in Arroyo Seco, Ruth you enhanced our lives in a thousand significant ways, you will be missed. Kurt Nordquist [email protected]

I am grateful for Ruth's friendship and her gifts of connecting. After not seeing each other for many years, we met again one year ago and shared memories of our appreciation for the life and thought of Sri Aurobindo. I will always feel privileged to have known Ruth and to have experienced her Light.

I have enjoyed your sweet smile and talks about nursing.I am proud to have you as my Great Aunt Ruthie.
Love,
little jenny

I am so sad to learn of Ruth's death. She continues to be one of my favorite artists, and was a friend 1965-70 in the UU Felloowship of Santa Cruz County.

To this very day - whenever I smell oil paints and turpintine, or onions sauteing in a pot, or hear an exotic voice singing from a place unvisited - I think of my Aunt Ruthie. She has always been the exciting Bohemian personality in our traditional family - who continually delighted my sensablilities. You will never be far from our hearts and our thoughts dear Aunt Ruth.
Love from your niece.

I miss you Mom. I miss having breakfast at Gilda's. I miss art museums with you. I miss talking movies. I promise to read Tony Hillerman's books.
Raymond