Ruth liked to point out that as an only child she was astonished at the large and beautiful family she had made. She was proud of her family and saw them as her most wonderful accomplishment in a very long and happy life. Born January 29, 1921, in Ventura, California, to A. Richard Baker and Lela Hutchens Baker, Ruth was the granddaughter of California pioneers who came here in covered wagons. Growing up, she lived on the Limoneira Ranch in Saticoy, and in Ventura where she helped in her parents’ flower shop which adjoined the Ventura Theatre. Ruth spent many late nights sleeping in the lobby while her parents worked on floral arrangements. She attended Ventura schools through junior college, then went on to UC Berkeley and Woodbury Business College. She was employed as the Assistant City Clerk for Ventura from 1941 to 1945.
Carrying on her pioneer legacy, she married Richard Frank Maulhardt, Sr. on December 1, 1945, at Santa Clara Catholic Church. They met on an ice-skating trip Ruth had organized to the Pan Pacific Ice Rink in Los Angeles. They moved to Santa Rosa Valley where they farmed and started a family that grew bigger every year. They had five children: Richard Frank (Janet) Maulhardt, Jr., Lynn Edward (Marsha) Maulhardt, Dean Louis (Toni) Maulhardt, Donna Ruth Maulhardt (Gary) Stiles, and Alan Lee (Terry) Maulhardt. Ruth was predeceased by her beloved husband Richard, daughter Donna, and daughter-in-law Toni.
In addition to acting as a partner in the farming business, Ruth was a busy mother, participating in the Santa Clara Mother’s Club, and high school Parent’s Club. She was also active in several charity organizations including National Charity League, and the Phi Alpha Kappa sorority. She enjoyed playing bridge and growing and arranging flowers with the Floral Artists of Ventura County.
Ruth and Richard were adventurers and took their children all over the United States and Europe, driving a station wagon up the Alcan Highway when it was still a gravel road. Ruth and Richard traveled to every continent and spent months away on freighter trips around the world. Ruth continued to travel well into her 90s, visiting Norway and the Baltic countries.
Ruth is survived by her thirteen loving grandchildren: Ann Maulhardt (Mark) Zerlaut, Donald (Edith) Maulhardt, Pamela Maulhardt (Pierre) Monestie, Brian (Heather) Maulhardt, Terence (Lisa) Maulhardt, Sean Maulhardt, Stacy Maulhardt (Ben) Irey, Jaime Maulhardt (Greg) Berini, Jennifer Stiles (Trevor) Matheson, Jessica Stiles (Brandon) Rogers, Jaclyn Stiles (Scott) Fujita, Erica Maulhardt (Kevin) Malone, and Alan John (Janai) Maulhardt.
Also surviving are twenty-three great-grandchildren: Luca and Noah Monestie, Nicholas and Christian Maulhardt, Joseph and Matthew Maulhardt, Cole and Enfys Zerlaut, Emily and Eric Garza Maulhardt, Deegan and Penelope Irey, Isaac and Daphne Berini, Carly and Caden Matheson, Taylor and Chace Rogers, Isabell, Delilah, and Marlowe Fujita, Conor Malone, and Brody Maulhardt.
Ruth passed peacefully at home on February 29th surrounded by family and her wonderful caregivers. As Ruth often said, “I don’t know how I could be so lucky to have such a wonderful family and such a good life.”
Though Ruth loved flowers, she was also a supporter of Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association. Donations can be made in her name at https://www.lmvna.org/getinvolved/#donate
Our family mourns the loss of our matriarch. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, March 21st at 10 a.m. at Santa Clara Church in Oxnard. Arrangements are under the direction of Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 757 E. Main Street, Ventura.