After living a very long life of 96 years, Ruth Bezek passed away from respiratory issues on November 12, 2024, at Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg.

Ruth was born on March 6, 1928, in Waltham, MA, to parents Horace and Marguerite Hann. They moved to central Florida to be closer to her grandparents, who taught Ruth and her older brother, Pete, many valuable life lessons. As a young girl, Ruth often visited her aunt, uncle, and cousins—her "second" family—who blessed her with a home away from home when times were tough.

After high school, Ruth packed her bags and headed north to Charlottesville, VA—determined to complete the nursing program at the University of Virginia at a time when women could not receive a full degree. She then moved to Texas to work at MD Anderson Hospital, staying with Pete and her sister-in-law, Betty. Still experiencing wanderlust, Ruth joined the Navy as a nurse in hopes of deploying somewhere new and exciting. She was promptly (and begrudgingly) sent back to Florida. Though the base in Jacksonville was not ideal for seeing the world, it was where she meet the love of her life, Joseph "Joe" Bezek.

She was married to Joe in his hometown of Johnstown, PA, in 1954. They were transferred to a naval base in Whidbey Island, WA, where they had their first daughter, Joanna. Two years later, they were living in Cincinnati, OH, where they had their second daughter, Nancy. Ten years later, they welcomed an "oops" to their family—third and final daughter, Carol, in Wheaton, MD.

Ruth worked in public health, at nursing homes, and even briefly as a library aide to keep summers free for her children and Joe, who was now a high school English teacher. Ruth returned to nursing at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, having to adapt to a post-Navy career in the ever-evolving field of medicine. She started in the oncology ward then moved to the labor and delivery unit, where she was grateful to see the start of many new lives. After years of night shifts and some difficult assignments, she ended her career as Head Civilian Nurse of the hospital's OB/GYN clinic to work normal hours and spend more time with her young family.

Ruth and Joe retired to Ocean Isle Beach, NC, but once grandchildren entered the picture, they moved back north to Virginia to live closer to them. Ruth eventually moved into a retirement community in Sterling, VA, to live among fellow military retirees.

Ruth is survived by her three daughters—Joanna Klose, Nancy Piekarski, and Carol Hensley—and four grandchildren—Laura Piekarski, Sarah Piekarski, JJ Hensley, and Patrick Hensley—as well as her son-in-law, Scott Klose, and five nieces and nephews—Pat Butler, Rusty Hann, Pam Carey, Ron Szala, and Marty Szala. She is also survived by her beloved 14-year-old dog, Toby, who stayed loyally by her side as they grew old together. She is preceded in death by Joe—her soulmate and husband of 53 years—as well as her parents, brother, and niece, Marrae Quinn.

Ruth insisted on leading a life surrounded by the close family she founded. She devoted her life to taking care of—and later, simply spending time with—her family as a loving matriarch. Her family fondly remembers the many years she spent playing piano, planning summer road trips, and sneaking her dog onto any and all beaches she visited. She enjoyed supporting her grandchildren at every soccer game and school performance, even when she didn't fully understand them. To celebrate her 50th anniversary with Joe, they took what is often a cruise trip for two and invited their entire close family—no bribing from her daughters necessary. In return, she never turned down an invitation to tag along on her daughters' family vacations, enjoying trips to Disney World, Niagara Falls, and Boston, MA, to name a few. She and Joe created many holiday traditions that will live on for generations, cementing recipes like Thanksgiving gravy and principles like "save the wrapping paper to use next year" into many Christmases to come.

With a love of cooking but financially conscious mind, Ruth could transform any leftovers into "goulash" meals. She would claim that it's "four o'clock somewhere" (because why wait until five?) and her drink of choice was a whiskey sour or glass of white zinfandel. Ruth was always ready to play a game of Rummy or Yahtzee and, as she grew older, enjoyed eavesdropping on her family's competition-driven conversations. She didn't need her vision to hear just how much love she brought into the world.

Family and friends are invited to share their memories and condolences from 6-8pm at Colonial Funeral Home in Leesburg, VA, on Monday, November 18, 2024. There will be a funeral Mass at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Leesburg, VA, on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, starting at 2pm.