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A Life Story of Ruby Ruth Stiles Gieszl             
Born July 27, 1923, San Pedro, CA and died February 10, 2014, Gilbert, AZ,   at age 90

Ruby Ruth Stiles was born July 27, 1923 in San Pedro, California, the fourth of six children, and third daughter of Lowell L Stiles and Nellie Brass Stiles.  Early years within a strong and loving family molded a resilient character, established strong work ethic and taught her that one"s attitude toward adversity can be met with anger"¦ or humor"¦.and, as her parents did, she chose humor.  

Her father, Lowell was a skilled horseman and cowboy, raised on family cattle ranches and farms. For several years he herded cattle for his Uncle Barney Stiles in northeast Arizona, out on the range for months at a time, where he learned to speak a little Navajo. He also worked for his cousin Jot Stiles in his Winslow, Arizona trading post. Lowell eventually joined some of his family near Chandler.   One evening he went to a Methodist Church social and dance.  There he met a petite young girl, Nellie Merchant Brass.  This handsome young cowboy won her heart, and several months later they were quietly married in Phoenix, December 31, 1917, he aged 25 and she 20. 

Lowell"s skills with horses and ranching, family ties, and positive work ethic allowed him to support a growing family during difficult Depression years.  Born in Chandler were Charles Lowell Stiles, Mildred Lizetta and Helen Birdie. Later the family moved to San Pedro, California where Lowell worked a much-disliked job on the docks.  Ruby Ruth was born in San Pedro July 27, 1923. The family moved north to Creston where brother William James was born.  Returning to Arizona, youngest sister Alice Elizabeth was born in Coolidge in 1933.  In 1938 the family moved to Shandon, California, while Ruth and sister Helen remained in Gilbert with their Aunt Emily and Uncle Lee Gamble, and attended Gilbert High School.  Ruby Ruth Stiles became best friends with a lively classmate, Ruth Gieszl, and they became "The Two Ruths".   She often visited the Gieszl farm, meeting all eight Gieszl off-spring. One of them was the handsome but older, Hugh Lynn Gieszl.  Ruth left Gilbert after her sophomore year, rejoining her family and finishing high school in Shandon, California in 1941.
  
World War II loomed, and lives again changed.  Ruth and sister Helen moved to San Diego, living with sister Mildred, husband Bryan Lane and toddler son, Chris.  She worked at Consolidated Aircraft as a riveter on airplane wings, while her brother Charles worked in another building on the aircraft body. Her special joy was to babysit young Chris. This amazing love of, and caring for, young children was life long. To this day, Chris is acknowledged as "Her Favorite Nephew" by the family.

Hugh Lynn Gieszl, now in the Army, courted Ruth in San Diego, visiting whenever he could get leave. 
With his upcoming Officer Training School in Massachusetts looming, Hugh proposed marriage by telephone.  Ruth "¦obviously"¦ accepted.  She packed and traveled several very tiring days by bus and train to reach Joliette, Illinois.  There she and Hugh were married by a Justice of the Peace at the home of Hugh"s brother Carl and his wife Mary, on May 19, 1943.   Their marriage was also witnessed by toddler Carlene, sitting in her highchair, though three-year old Sally was at the neighbors and missed the event.   Following Hugh"s overseas assignment to Liverpool, England, and Bryan"s Navy deployment, Ruth returned to Shandon to live, where she and sister Mildred, with children Chris and baby Nancy, rented a house together.  Upon Hugh"s return and discharge from the Army, they rented a Shandon service station with adjoining restaurant located along the main highway.  Hugh ran the station and Ruth opened and operated the Valley CafÁ© from 5 AM to 2 PM.  Their daughter Lynnette was born on their fourth anniversary in 1947. She was cradled in a box under the restaurant counter her first three months, until Grandma Nellie Stiles could babysit her at home. Ruth hired her youngest sister, 13-year old Alice "" nicknamed "Tootsie" - as dishwasher, then promoted her to waitress the next year.  Ruth surprised Alice with a party in the restaurant on her 15th birthday.  Surprises were something Ruth enjoyed doing all her life and were one of her greatest delights.

Following Emil Gieszl"s death in 1946, Hugh and Ruth closed their business and returned in 1949 to operate the Gieszl Family farm in Gilbert.  Hugh renovated the existing garage near the Gieszl home, converting it to a two-story, two bedroom, two bath home.  Hugh was quietly proud of his finished home, pointing out that the stucco never cracked and the windows were perfectly level.  Shortly after, her daughters Jean, followed by Nellie were born.  The Farm home became the unofficial meeting place where the various Gieszl families frequently gathered, enjoying food and conversation.  Ruth cheerfully welcomed all.  The many young "cousins" played games for hours outside while adults talked inside, solving the many problems facing the country. The family lived there until a larger ranch-style red-brick home was built on their own acreage, a few hundred yards west.  The Family gatherings transferred to the new home, and continue even today.  This was their home together until Hugh"s death February 27, 1992. 

Life as a farmer"s wife is unique and requires a "jack of all trades" practical approach to life.  Ruth had this, and more. In the 1960"s she purchased, and renovated neglected, aged homes in Gilbert.  A reliable farm worker"s could "earn" one of these homes, rent free.  This provided stability and opportunity for the children to regularly attend school. 
    
During her more than sixty-five years living in Gilbert, Ruth received numerous awards from Arizona Farm Bureau, Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, the City of Gilbert, Maricopa County, and Salt River Project recognizing her dedication and service to these organizations and businesses.   She was especially proud of working with sister-in-law Rose Gieszl Divelbess to organize the Gilbert Historical Society, obtain the former Gilbert Junior High building as its site, and establish the Gilbert Historical Museum. Found there are farm machines, furniture, diaries, uniforms and clothing, photographs, fire truck and displays representing the lives, efforts, history, and accomplishments of Gilbert"s settlers and their families.
     
As state and county populations increased, farming became more difficult.  Ruth realized surrounding farmhouses and barns were being bulldozed down as farms disappeared.  Ruth approached various landowners and asked if she could remove, at her cost, the simple family homes before they could be knocked down. A few were saved and collected and stored.  In the 1990"s the original Gieszl family homestead farm lands were sold, and a new life chapter began.  Setting aside several acres of land closest to Gilbert Road, Ruth and her family designed a place for collected farmhouses, to be called Farmhouse Village.  The Village slowly took shape as each home was carefully moved and properly placed, followed by months of renovation and strengthening to meet new building codes"¦ including required fire sprinklers. Found today at Farmhouse Village is the Gilbert House Restaurant, located in a Sears-Roebuck Catalogue home, a preschool,  hairstylist, specialty gift shop, a wedding chapel and photographer, and a unique1930"s hot-riveted metal barn originally from ASU.  Within a sheltered grass area is a metal bench and sitting sculpture of Mark Twain, one of Ruth"s admired writers and historic figures, reading to a young girl sitting nearby.  

Ruth kept her common sense approach throughout her life with her involvement in the Gilbert Methodist Church, the growth and development of Gilbert, the welfare and fair treatment of people.  She respected all she met and welcomed them as family"¦ as long as they were honest and truthful in their dealings with others. 
  
Her hallmark smile and unique sense of humor stayed with Ruth throughout her life.

She is survived by her oldest brother Charles Stiles in Ft. Worth, Texas and youngest sister Alice White of Paso Robles, California, and her children Lynnette Allison, Jeanie (Dave) Chance, Nellie (John) Durham, and son Fred (Carolyn) Gieszl.  Grandchildren include Ryan Allison and Vanessa Mink; Davis, Wade and Donna Chance; Brian, Paul and Carrie Durham; Chad and Jared Gieszl, Doni Mullins, Jillian Fite, Carly Gieszl, and ten great-grandchildren.  
    
-Visitation is Monday, February 17, 6 to 8 pm at Falconer Funeral Home, 251 W Juniper Ave in Gilbert. 
-The Memorial Funeral Service is Tuesday, February 18, 10:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Gilbert, 331 S. Cooper Road, Gilbert. 
-Burial follows at the City of Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center, Mesa.  
-Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to: 
Gilbert United Methodist Church Preschool Music Program, call 480-892-9166; 
Gilbert High School FFA program, c/o Gilbert High School 1101 E. Elliott Road, Gilbert 8234 www.gilbertffa.com; or The Gilbert Historical Museum, 10 S. Gilbert Road, Gilbert AZ 85296.

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Ruby Ruth Stiles Gieszl Obituary | Altogether