Ruby Hertz

1937 - 2025

Ruby Hertz
07/11/1937 - 12/06/2025
Ruby was born in Brooklyn New York and moved to Berkeley California with her parents when she was 14 years old and attended Berkeley High School.
The family moved to San Francisco and opened Sis Teen, a girls clothing store in Laurel Heights. Ruby graduated from Lowell High School and earned her bachelor's degree at UC Berkeley. She was briefly married to Ed Lapedis. After her divorce she moved to Berkeley and lived with her grandfather Nahum Seitzick while pursuing her master's degree from Berkeley. At Berkeley she encountered Seymour Hertz who she had dated as a teenager and through him met his brother Gerald. Gerald and Ruby were married on September 1, 1963 and at her passing they had been married for 62 years, 3 months and 5 days. Ruby continued her education at Berkeley where she earned her doctorate in criminology. She began her career working in Richmond and at the Marin Civic Center. She worked for a public policy firm in Sacramento helping to write juvenile justice legislation for the State of Missouri. She taught criminology classes at Golden Gate, Ohlone, Merritt and Cal State Hayward.
During her education Ruby acquired the most wonderful of all dogs Oliver Twist von Duvan. Because of Oliver she founded a breeding business RBeth German Shepherds. She took Oliver into the Union Square stores and to Gerald's San Francisco bar when he was out of town. Oliver was always a perfect gentleman and protected Ruby. Ruby remained friendly with those who received a pup from her. One client told Ruby it was harder to adopt a dog from her than to adopt their children. Breeding German Shepherd Dogs and the friendships she formed doing so brought much love into her life.
Among the most fierce friendships she formed by those adopting her pups were with Pat, Maggi, Barbara and Cherie. These friends were with her daily following her diagnosis and during the last two months of her life.
Ruby also became an AKC dog show judge traveling around the country with Gerald at her side. She judged the Herding Group, half of the Working Group and half of the Sporting Group. During those travels Ruby met and became friendly with other judges and dog club members.
Ruby died peacefully at home with love and caring all around her. She will be sorely missed by her husband Gerald and his children Howard (Karen), Ned (Dana), Steven (Toya) Cherilyn (Steve).
Donations In Ruby's honor can be made to Temple Beth Abraham to the Herman Hertz Israel Scholarship Fund or to the Mollie Hertz Interfaith Outreach Fund.