Ruth Aloha Lewis

Ruth Aloha Lewis, nee Finnell, 88, of Orem, Utah and longtime resident of Buena Park, CA, passed away February 14, 2010 at Orem Nursing and Rehabilitation after a long illness. She was born on a rural farm in Aloha, Oregon, the town for which she was named, on March 7, 1921, to James Densmore Finnell, a sawfiler (1875-1944) and Ella Short Finnell Sheridan (1883-1963). Aloha, as she was known in Oregon, was born on her father's birthday and was the youngest of his eight children. Aloha graduated from Beaverton High School in 1939, where she was a drum majorette. From 1943 to 1945, she served in the US Navy Reserve during World War II as a yeoman secretary/typist. She was stationed in Washington D.C. at the Pentagon.
In 1947, Ruth, as she was known in California, relocated to Los Angeles, where she worked as a secretary for Signal Oil. In 1949 she married Charles Francis Lewis, aka Touchet, (1905-1963) the chief accountant for the Los Angeles firm Emil Brown Steel Corporation. The two lived mainly in Buena Park, CA where they raised 6 children.
Ruth enjoyed reading, riding her bike, playing the piano, solving crosswords, bird watching and spending time with her grandchildren.
Ruth Aloha is survived by one brother, Alfred Finnell, 98, of Sweet Home, OR; by two daughters: Carol Touchet, 60, a medical technologist, of Vancouver, WA and Marcella Suydam, 49, of Seldovia AK; by two sons: Robert (Bob) Lewis, 54, a short haul driver, of Lakewood, CO and Alfred Lewis, 52, a tilesetter, of Orem, UT; She is also survived by 12 grandchildren: Angela Springmeyer of Salt Lake City, UT; Paul Algarin of Buena Park, CA; Chandra Vignere of Conway, PA; Alfred Touchet of Provo, UT; David Lewis, Stephanie Lewis, Joseph Lewis and Annie Lewis of Orem UT; Myriah Suydam of Big Lake, AK; Seth Suydam of Homer, AK; Chelsea Suydam and Nathan Suydam of Seldovia, AK; and by 4 great-grandchildren: Henry and Daschiel Springmeyer, Braden Algarin and Drea Vignere.
Arrangements are being made by SereniCare Funeral Home in Orem. Final burial will be at IOOF Cemetery in Bandon, Oregon on April 17, 2010 where Ruth will be laid to rest next to her father.