Leonard E. Ruby III

LEONARD E. RUBY, III OCT 20, 1945 - APR 27, 2011 Beloved son, father, and brother, Leonard E. (Ed) Ruby, III passed away at the Alexander Cohen Hospice House of complications from a motorcycle accident suffered 33 years ago. Born in Morenci, Michigan in 1945 to the late Leonard E. Ruby Jr. and Margery M. (Ruby) Schmitz, Ed grew up in Vicksburg, Michigan where his parents were music teachers. The family moved to Modesto in the summer of 1953 where Ed attended John Muir Elementary, La Loma Junior High and Downey High School, class of 1964. Growing up in a musical family, Ed started as a flute player, but he found his musical muse with the French horn in the 8th grade. Ed studied under Bob Hamilton and became a prodigy on this most difficult of brass instruments. By the end of his senior year of high school, Ed had won regional and even national recognition at solo festivals and music camps. Ed won the Young Artist competition with the Modesto Symphony, performing one of the four Mozart Horn Concertos in concert under conductor Jean-Louis Leroux. Later that same year, Ed performed the Mozart, Strauss, and Hindemith Concertos in a single recital. Ed attended the University of Michigan on scholarship for two years, studying music, playing the Rose Bowl parade and half-time show, and performing in the Symphonic Band under famed conductor, William D. Revelli. In 1966, Ed returned to Modesto to raise a family. He was blessed with three children, Dianne, David, and Angela. While working as a machinist at Hershey Chocolate, and Gallo Winery, Ed continued to perform as first chair horn with the Modesto Symphony, later performing the Strauss Horn concerto as a featured solo artist. In September of 1977, Ed suffered a tragic motorcycle accident that left him with severe physical and mental disabilities. While his musical and work careers were over, Ed was able to recover enough to enjoy family visits and occasional trips out for coffee and waffles. Ed lived at the Modesto Guest home on Orangeburg for a number of years prior to his most recent hospitalization. Ed is survived by his daughter Dianne Goulet of Gulfport, Mississippi, David Ruby of Modesto, Angela Erickson of Pretoria, South Africa, eight grandchildren, brothers Doug Ruby of Groton, Massachusetts and John Ruby of Reno, Nevada, stepfather Larry Schmitz of Denair, and stepmother Phyllis Caudle of Modesto. Ed's mother, Margery M. Schmitz of Denair passed away just a week prior to Ed. A celebration of Ed Ruby's life will be held at a later time when all of his family can join together. Donations should be made to the charity of your choice. www.modbee.com/obituaries