Ruth E. Granaas

Ruth E. Granaas passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 11, 2011; just two months shy of her 101st birthday. She was preceded in death by her husband William J. Granaas, her brother William E Harwood, her granddaughter Sandra Lee Frankel and her nephew Scott Harwood.

Ruth was born on July 18, 1910 in Lawrence, Kansas to E. Ernest Harwood and Elsie May (Hoskins) Harwood. The family migrated to Glendale, CA when she was just 8 years old. She graduated from Glendale High School in 1928, married Gordon D. Pippitt and had two children. In January 1954, she married William J. Granaas of Burbank and continued to live in Burbank until her death.

She joined the United Methodist Church when she was 8 years of age. Her lifelong devotion to the church included being President of the Women’s Society as well as continual participation in all phases of the church’s administration in both Glendale and Burbank. She was also blessed with many lifelong friendships she made through the Mariner’s Group that was organized as the young married members of the church.

Ruth was a woman of many talents. She was an accomplished pianist and would often fill in for the church organist; she was an avid gardener with an amazing green thumb; she loved to dance with Bill in their square dancing club; and she was an expert seamstress and taught many of us to sew.

She will forever be missed by her many friends and her surviving family that includes her children Robert Pippitt, Betty Forman, her grandchildren Linda York, Dan Herzog, Diane McKinley, Garry Herzog; 10 great grandchildren and 16 great-great grandchildren; one cousin and four nieces and nephews.

In attendance at the service were relatives from Indiana, Idaho, Utah and a grandson who is stationed inGermany.

Her Funeral service was held on May 17, 2011 at the Burbank First United Methodist Church. Internment followed at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar.