Ruth was raised in Oakland, CA in a neighborhood near the Oakland LDS Temple. She attended and graduated from the University of California in Berkeley working her way through school as a play-ground director. She raised three children and after they matured, turned her interests to working as a substitute elementary school teacher and also worked in the Real Estate field in communities in the San Joaquin Valley and in Southern CA.

During her lifetime she designed and built three homes. Ruth and Douglas moved to St. George, UT in 1976 and built a home that she designed. She was active in the LDS church serving as a Relief Society President twice, a Temple Coordinator in the St. George Temple for several years and served a mission in the local LDS historical sites fulfilling one of her lifelong goals.

Living in St. George has been a great experience for her as she loved the area and formed many great lasting friendships.

She was preceded in death by her husband; Douglas and her son; David and is survived by her children: Valerie Ruth Swanson of St. George, UT, Douglas F. (Anne C.) Swanson of Reno, NV, her grandchildren: Kerri and Gerry Hansen, Tamra and Darin Murphy, Jared and Sarah Swanson, all of Reno, NV, Trisha and Chris Dayton of Highland, UT, Derek and Becky Swanson of Bend, OR, Caleb and Brianne Manscill of Kaysville, UT, Nicole Fillmore of St. George, UT, Conan Swanson of Bakersfield, CA and Rachel Swanson of Woodlake, CA. We will all miss Ruth's vivacious, welcoming personality, frequent laughter, and inspiring thoughts.