Ruth Vigna

1928 - 2026

Ruth Marie Elaine Christenson Vigna

Born: 1 August 1928

Died: 8 February 2026



Ruth Vigna passed away peacefully on February 8, 2026 at the age of 97 in Edgewood, WA. Ruth was born in Puyallup, WA to the late Frank C. and Mabel V. Christenson. She graduated from Clover Park High School in Lakewood, WA in 1946. After meeting the love of her life, Adolph C. "Carl" Vigna, at a dance, she left her shoes in his car to ensure they would meet again. They married in 1946 in Puyallup, WA, and she proudly wore a homemade dress using fabric from a shower curtain. Married for 72 years, Carl predeceased her in 2018. Ruth was also predeceased by her older sister, Betty Christenson Albert. She leaves behind son Steven (Cheri) of Bonney Lake, WA, daughters Debra (John McBride) of Puyallup, WA, Carla of Tacoma, WA, Ann of Renton, WA, and son Marc (Gina) of Lake Tapps, WA, and her grandchildren Vanessa Vigna (Matthew Bell), Andrew Vigna (Amy Gamble), Erin McBride, Megan McBride, Kristopher McBride, Travis Byrd (Peggy Entrop), Melissa Byrd (Tommy Cisneros), Brandon Corsi (Whitney), Bailey Corsi (Brandon Smith), Isabella Vigna, Chelsea Wold, and Brittany Knapp (Taylor). In addition, she was blessed with six great grandchildren, August Koskinen, Samuel Bell, Raegan Corsi, Rhett Corsi, Cal Danger Smith, and James Knapp.



Ruth lives on in the tender weave of our family's memories. She loved her coffee-there was always a warm carafe waiting on the counter and, more often than not, a cup cradled in her hand, rising like a small morning prayer. The kitchen seemed to breathe with its fragrance, as steady and welcoming as she was.



Nothing brought Ruth greater happiness than caring for her family. She delighted in tending to us all, and she especially adored her husband. To each child and grandchild stepping into marriage, she offered the same gentle counsel: "Cherish your spouse." She lived those words faithfully. There was never a wife more devoted, nor a partner more steadfast. Her patience felt endless, her kindness so instinctive that she earned the nickname "Saint Ruth." Her sense of duty seemed drawn from the pages of the novels she loved-quietly heroic, unwavering, and full of grace. And yet her life was beautifully simple, measured not in grand gestures but in small, faithful acts that gathered into something abundant and whole.



She stirred pots of the Italian dishes her husband had grown up with, filling the house with comfort and memory. She sent grandchildren out with bowls to gather huckleberries and warmly painted on smiles with her invisible brush when they needed cheer. She packed the camper with careful thought, ensuring that even on vacation she could continue her gentle watch over us all. She found joy beneath open skies, especially in her garden, where she knelt among the blossoms and patiently pulled weeds, coaxing beauty from the soil. She watched family play on the grassy shore of her home on Lake Tapps or while visiting Lake Chelan most summers, her calm presence a sunlit treasure in our hearts.



And though she could never quite manage to take a photograph without trimming off someone's prized first catch, she somehow captured what mattered most of all-our hearts.



We will love you forever, Mom.



The family wishes to thank Cora Castor and her staff at the Edgewood Country Retreat for their dedicated and compassionate care for Ruth. Funeral services will be private.