Obituary: Shirley Clarice Ruddock

Shirley Clarice Ruddock, born October 15, 1939, passed peacefully on August 7, 2012 in her daughter’s home in Yorktown, VA, surrounded by her three daughters, at the age of 72. Shirley was born in Indianapolis, IN and moved to Glendale, CA at the age of five with her parents, Russell and Billie Holloway. Shirley graduated from Glendale High School in 1957. She attended Glendale Community College, majoring in English, and then went on to start her working career at the Castaway in Burbank as an event planner and bookkeeper. Shirley then went on to the Verdugo Club in Glendale for several years as the assistant and bookkeeper for the head manager. In Shirley’s personal life she had three daughter’s, and met the love of her life, John Ruddock, who had three daughters and a son, they married and she became mom to them all. While raising this large family, they lived in Glendale, then Valencia, for 23 years. After John’s retirement from the LA County Health Department and Shirley’s from Verdugo Club, they opened their own business, Chemex Exterminators, in Valencia. Shirley and John retired to Gardnerville, NV from 1995 to 2003. Not really being the retirement type, they started Carson Valley Exterminators. After she laid John to rest, she moved back to Valencia to be near most of her beloved family. In 2004, Shirley moved to Newport News, VA to be near more of her beloved family. Shirley had an exceptional life, traveling the world with John. She had a love for cooking, gardening, decorating and most of all was known to be an extraordinary quilter. Shirley is survived by her seven children, Laura Cobb, Denise Dickinson, Rickie Pratt, Dorothy Henderling, Mary Knox, John Ruddock and Annie Geiger; and grandchildren, Mitchell Boggs, Randee Lyn & Bradley Dickinson, Blake & Skilen Lechtenberg, Bobbi Cobb, Chance Pratt, Janette Hill, Rachel Ruddock, Michael Dobies, Jonathan Knox, Max & Nichoas Geiger and Madison Ruddock. Shirley will be laid to rest with her beloved John, in Eastside Memorial Park, 1600 Buckeye Rd, Gardnerville, NV 89410. A graveside service will be held September 7, 2012 at 11am. Per Shirley’s request, flowers may be sent to the cemetery address or donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, in Shirley’s name. See www.cancer.org for more information.