Mary "Jean" Ruksas

Mary "Jean" Ruksas passed away at Copper Cottage Hospice after a long battle with dementia. Jean loved to play games, especially cards and met her late husband Ray playing bridge. She played bridge through most of her life and made several trips a year with her bridge buddies to Las Vegas,where she loved to play black jack and poker machines. In later years she continued to play games like rummy with her daughters Maren Smith and Talli Ruksas, and sometimes her grandchildren, even when she could no longer hold all of her cards. She and Ray also loved to travel, making trips to Europe, Australian, New Zealand, and Asia. She also took a few cruises to the Caribbean with Ray and Alaska with her daughters. Jean would do anything for her family. She sewed countless costumes including a full-bodied dinosaur for her granddaughter and even teddy bear costumes for her daughter's special friend. Whenever Someone had a baby, she would make them a special counted cross stitch blanket. Jean moved to Arizona in the 1940's for her first husband's health, and over the years, many of her family followed including her parents, nieces, and sister. Jean was close to her nieces Barb and Sue since they both lived with her while going to school. She was also crazy about her grandchildren Amie and Greg and his children Avalon and Dominic. There will be a gathering of friends and family to celebrate her life on October 26, 2013. For more information contact SereniCare at 1-800-214-4790. Donations may be made to Grace Hospice, 4515 S.McClintock Drive, Tempe, AZ 85282.