Ruth Oplinger

Ruth L. Oplinger, 92, went home to the Lord on the afternoon of Monday, April 15, 2013. She was surrounded and supported by her loving family and caregivers during the last days of her life. Ruth was born in Minneapolis, MN on November 13, 1920 to Robert Linton Cox an Florence Marie Cox McSorely. Ruth graduated from Harlem High School in Harlem, Mt. and worked various clerical and bookkeeping positions in Ft. Peck, MT, prior to enlisting as a U.S. Navy WAVE in 1942 serving the Hospital Corp in Bronx, New York and the U.S. Naval Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland; honorably discharged in 1945. She then lived in Pittsburg, PA and moved to Guam in 1959 for 22 years, working for the U.S. Navy and retired with the U.S. Army at Ft. Ord, CA, after 25 years of dedicated civil service as a Budget Analyst. She resided in Hollister prior to her final move to Villa Serra in Salinas, where she lived for 13 years. Fiercely independent and always active she loved keeping up with her family and friends, music, a good cup of coffee and wathcing the SF Giants. She was a member of the American Legion of Holllister and Seaside, WAVES, NARFE, Calvary Baptist Church of Marina and faithfully attended many activities within the Villa Serra community, especially Bible study groups. Ruth was a true patriot and loved the American flag. She is survived by four children, Logan Oplinger of Hagatna, Guam, Lynn Tucker of Seattle, WA, Scott (Marcia) Oplinger of Moscow, ID, and Chrissi (Jeff) Taylor of Salinas; four grandchildren, Betsy (Andrew) Becker and 1st Lieutenant Scott Oplinger of Moscow, ID, DJ and Zach Taylor of Salinas; three great-grandchildren, Bella, Eva and Aaron Becker of Moscow, ID. Celebration of Life Services will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 10am at the Villa Serra Meditation Room located at 1320 Padre Dr. Salinas, CA 93901. Donations may be made to the Central Coast Veteran's Cemetery Foundation, P.O. Box 849 Marina, CA 93933; Wounded Warrior Project, P. O. Box 758540 Topeka, KS 66675-8540 or the Villa Serra Employee Appreciation Fund at Villa Serra. Arrangements entrusted to the Healey Mortuary & Crematory/www.healeymortuary.com