ruth brager

On January 30, I attended a memorial service on behalf of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity honoring a woman named Ruth Brager. Ruth was someone I had gotten to know the past year because of her work with Habitat and her enthusiasm for spreading awareness to those around her.

Ever since I started working with Habitat, I heard stories of Ruth -- she used to be a heavily involved supporter who, even when confined to a wheelchair, spent a lot of Saturdays working as a hospitality volunteer; she was a consistent and passionate advocate for our mission of affordable housing; she attended numerous groundbreakings and home dedications; she invited Habitat staff to regularly visit the retirement center, Solheim Lutheran Home, which resulted in a very generous endowment from one of her friends. Even when she was in such a state of physical disability that she had a difficult time holding her head up, she exuded warmth and friendliness. The first time I met her, even though she could hardly speak, she spent time showing me a compilation book of her writings that Solheim had put together and a memory book of pictures.

Ruth passed away at the age of 92 with more energy and passion than most people, regardless of age or physical health. She had never ceased to impress me in the short time I knew her, but after attending her memorial service I am more in awe of Ruth Brager than I could have imagined. Though there were plenty of tears and sad moments, it truly was a time of celebration of Ruth's life. Reverend Richard Garner, the pastor at First United Methodist Church of Glendale, invited those of us at the service to stand and share a personal memory of Ruth. I learned that aside from her extensive relationship with Habitat for Humanity, Ruth was one of the most involved members of her church and had, for decades, organized pretty much every club and event imaginable. In the 1940's and 50's, when racial segregation was still the status quo, Ruth started interracial youth camps at church. Years before AIDS was an acceptable topic to even discuss, Ruth became a huge advocate for prevention and treatment ... and, most of all, an advocate for love and acceptance of the people suffering from it. Among her many accolades, Ruth was given an award as an Honorary Homosexual -- at a time when it was "not ok" for a middle class Christian housewife in Glendale to associate with the gay community. At one time, she was almost arrested for protesting a nuclear power plant.

Aside from her work with social justice issues, she was an extremely devoted wife and mother, who was heavily involved in her children's lives as well as taking on the role of a mother to other kids and extended family members. I left her service with a newfound inspiration for my own life and a new role model. Ruth Brager's memorial service -- filled with tears but mostly with funny, courageous stories of her life, told by those who knew her the best -- was exactly the type of service I hope to one day deserve. Ruth Brager, herself -- who led a life filled with hardships just like anyone else's but was directed by her faith and her determination -- was exactly the role model I need as I attempt to carve out the next 70 years of my own life.