Ruth "Mousie" Barnard

1926 - 2021

Ruth "Mousie" Barnard

Oxnard - Mousie passed away Friday June 25th peacefully in her sleep. She was born August 26, 1926 in Oxnard, CA. Her father Charles Shutt, was an engineer for Henry Oxnard working the sugar mills. Her Grandfather, Ben Virden, was one of the early pharmacists in Oxnard.

During her childhood, the family would travel to Havana Cuba to follow the sugar cane harvest for 6 months, returning every year for the sugar beet harvest in Oxnard. Her father passed away at the early age of 40, leaving her mother Ruth Shutt to raise three children by working as the first woman teller for The Bank of A. Levy.

Mousie and her two siblings, Steve Shutt and Mardie Shutt Voss attended Oxnard schools going on to graduate from Cal (Steve) and UCLA (Mardie and Mousie). After college, Mousie returned to Oxnard to teach Kindergarden in La Colonia for a year before marrying Keith Barnard from Ventura after meeting him at UCLA. They married July of 1950.

Following marriage, they lived in Ventura before moving to Fillmore in 1952 where they raised their family and she lived for over 60 years in the same Big House! Mousie was always active in the garden, playing tennis, and playing in many bridge groups until her later years, giving up bridge in the most recent years.

Mousie was preceded in death by her husband Keith, sister Marjorie, and her daughter Teresa. She is survived by her son, Steve Barnard, daughter-in-law Shelly Barnard, her brother Steve Shutt (Jane Shutt), brother-in-law John Voss, grandchildren Keith R. Barnard, Benjamin Barnard, Justin Foster, and Kelly Foster, three great granddaughters and many nieces and nephews.

Mousie will be missed by many but a special Thank you to Mousie's caregivers at Crestview Villa II. Without them, her journey would have been much more difficult. We are forever grateful to this family of caregivers.

Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.