Ruth D’Amico has gone on to live with the Lord.
Ruth Esther D’Amico November 26, 1949 – October 21, 2022
We are sad to announce Ruth D’Amico has passed away. Ruth was 72 years old.
Ruth was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Disease/Dementia in January of 2016 and through the years also developed Parkinsonism, and Aphasia. Ruth was a patient of the assisted living home, Palm House of Arizona, where she contracted Covid-19 on September 28,2022. She was transferred to Colten Adult Care in Scottsdale where she lived her final days under the watchful care of Hospice of Arizona.
Ruth Esther D’Amico was born on November 26, 1949, in Ashtabula, Ohio, to the parents of Martin E. Tumola and Martha E. Jarvi. Ruth graduated from Edgewood High School in Ashtabula, Ohio in 1967 and went on to have a professional career encompassing a variety of occupations and career fields.
She began her career as a station secretary and receptionist at WREO AM+FM radio and WICA-TV in Ashtabula, Ohio. Then she became the Administrative Assistant to the Publisher of the Ashtabula Star Beacon Daily Newspaper. And later she moved on to become the Society Pages Editor and Reporter at The Mentor Morning Monitor newspaper in Northeast Ohio.
After moving to Michigan with her family, she became a legal assistant and secretary in the prestigious law firm, of Sabin and Humbarger in Battle Creek.
Wanting to expand her horizons, she joined the engineering department of Post Cereals as an administrative assistant.
Then later administrative assistant and private secretary to the chairman of the board and chief operating officer of the Battle Creek Equipment Company, a national health and exercise equipment manufacturing and distribution company.
After moving to Phoenix with her family in 1987, she worked in Human Resources of Troon Golf, the world’s largest golf management company.
Ruth retired at the age of 56 years old to help raise her granddaughter, Serena.
In addition to Ruth’s varied career, she was first and foremost a full-time mother to her children. She was excellent homemaker and loving mother and grandmother. Her dedication to her children and husband was always her priority.
She was the rock of the family handling all family affairs and the family’s business affairs as well.
Ruth was loved by everyone she came in contact with, her coworkers always praised her for being kind, gentle and understanding always offering an ear to listen and a helping hand. Ruth always displayed a huge smile to everyone she met. She had a kind word for everyone and was loved by all.
Ruth enjoyed boating and sailing on Lake Pleasant, Arizona and San Diego Bay, California with her husband Rick and family. Her husband Rick always referred to her as the “Admiral” because she was always in charge even out on the water.
Ruth served as Vice President of the North Canyon High School Rattler Football Boosters where she learned how to make Navajo Fry Bread. Ruth also served as a Eucharistic Minister at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church. The church that she loved.
Ruth D’Amico is preceded in death by her parents: Martti R. & Martha E Tuomala. Her grandparents: Matti & Ina Tuomala, Antti & Hilda Rannanjarvi. Her brothers, Charles (Tuomala) Roboski & Keith Ross, and stepfather Edward Roboski, her special cousins: Debora Dodge & Joan Richards, and her Godmother and namesake, Staff Sargent, United States Army Retired, and published poet, Ruth Jarvi Linwood.
Ruth is survived by her husband of 53 years Richard (Rick) Michael D’Amico and her daughters, Michelle Lee D’Amico of Phoenix and Jessica Marie D’Amico (Daniel) of Seattle and her sons Salvatore Michael of San Diego and Mario Joseph D’Amico (Anna) and granddaughter Serena Marie D’Amico of Phoenix.
Her sister Betty J Gress (William) of Heath OH, brother Terry Strong of Forestville NY, sister Sherry Flesher of North Ridgeville OH. Niece: Rachel Gossett (Bruce) of Newark OH, Nephews: Steven Gress, Godson (Tracy) of Dublin OH, Joseph Gress (Colleen) of Westerville OH, William Gress (Morgan) of Powell OH.
The D’Amico family are forever indebted to all the wonderful Medical People, doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses who spent countless hours providing Ruth loving care over the past almost 7 years. And especially Hospice of the Valley who’s care, attention, and loving concern far surpassed anyone’s imagination.
Funeral Mass will be on November 7, 2022 at 12 Noon at Saint Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church, 3801 East Greenway Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85032. Burial services to follow at The National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, Arizona.