Ruby Pauline Flaiz was born in Delta, Colorado, to Glenn and Mary Wright and graduated from Delta High School. In 1947, Ruby met her soon-to-be-husband Bill Flaiz on a blind date that took them skating and a picture show in Delta in his dad’s ‘35 Ford pickup. She then started college at Western State in Gunnison, Colorado. A few short years later, Bill and Ruby were married on June 15, 1949, in Grand Junction.

They spent their early years farming in Olathe, Colorado, and ranching in Ridgeway. Later, they moved to Kellogg, Idaho, where Ruby’s parents lived. When the zinc plant shut down, they moved back to Olathe. In 1959 they headed to California and bought a home in Fortuna, where they raised their three daughters.

Ruby was quite the homemaker. She raised a large garden every year, canning and freezing fruits and vegetables. Every Sunday and on the holidays she would fix dinner for her kids and grandkids. At Christmas time, she would make candy and cookies for the family and neighbors to enjoy. She enjoyed reading, puzzles, playing cards, sewing, swimming, ping pong, horseshoes, riding her bike, and family walks. She was involved in putting out the flags for Memorial Day at the Sunrise Cemetery and even won some awards at the flower show in Fortuna. After her mother’s passing in 1976, she started donating blood until she had to stop in 2014 due to skin cancer winning an award for donating 20 gallons. In 1997 she took over her granddaughter’s paper route for the Times-Standard where she put in 15 years of service and was awarded carrier of the month.

Ruby died on July 28, 2021, at the age of 90, at Timber Ridge in Eureka. Ruby was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Mary Wright, her two brothers, John and Al Wright, and grandson James (EJ) Brekke. She is survived by her husband of 72 years and her three daughters, Karen (Ernie) Pires, of Eureka; Bonnie (Dick) Brekke, of Central Point, Oregon; and Terry (Tom) Dowdy of Fortuna; two sisters, Jean McAtee of St. Helena, Oregon, and Rose (Duane) Williams of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho; sister-in-law, Peggy Wright, of Pasco, Washington, four grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother to many, and great grandmother. She will be missed by everyone who knew her. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Hospice of Humboldt or the Alzheimer’s Association.