Ruth McCracken

Energetic. Caring. Strong. Enthusiastic. Beautiful. Helpful. Happy. Fearless. Adventurous. Fun. These are the words used by friends and family to describe Ruth McCracken. Ruth was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, the fourth of eight children. After high school, she was told her family could only afford to send her brothers to college, so she could choose to attend either the local nursing or teaching school. But being our tenacious Ruth, she didn’t let that stop her! After graduating from St. Mary’s Nursing School in Saginaw, she became the first woman in her family to go to college when she went on to Michigan State to earn her Bachelor’s in Nursing Science, and later her Master of Science in Nursing Education at Wayne State.

After finishing her master’s in 1968, she decided to “go west” and move to California. In what she described as one of her bravest moments, she packed up her red 1966 Mustang and drove across the country by herself to move to San Francisco, a place she had never been. She soon got a job teaching at St. Luke’s Hospital and settled in the Twin Peaks neighborhood where she met and married her husband, Gene McCracken.

A little over a year later, on a cold and foggy July 4th morning, they decided to leave San Francisco for a sunnier life on the Peninsula. They bought the house in San Mateo that would become Ruth’s home for the next 50 years.

In San Mateo, she started teaching nursing at the College of San Mateo (CSM) and gave birth to her daughter, Lisa. Over time, she worked her way up to become the Director of the Nursing Program at CSM, setting an inspirational example of female leadership and career success for her daughter and many others.

After retiring from CSM, Ruth and Gene became involved in local organizations including St Andrews Society of San Francisco and R-Ranch at the Lake in Napa.

Ruth was an amazing cook and she and her husband loved to entertain. They welcomed many people into their home over the years, hosting countless dinners, holiday get-togethers and birthday parties with great eagerness to share a story, a drink, or a hug just when one may need it the most. Upon the sudden death of her husband in 2014, Ruth remained a strong beacon of light, fondly sharing memories of her dearly departed Gene. Her desire for adventure and curiosity yet to be sated, Ruth traveled to several countries solo, yet never alone. She was able to find a conversation to share with just about anyone, with a mischievous glint in her eye that made one feel special just to be able to connect with her. Ruth’s enthusiastic sense of wonder and joy was experienced by everyone on her path. While small in stature in her later years, her boundless energy and lively spirit makes her memory live large with her many friends and family. Ruth passed away on January 2, 2022. She is survived by her daughter, Lisa Hattig; her “favorite” (and only) son-in-law, Russ Hattig; and her step-grandson, Russell Hattig. She will be dearly missed by so many.

A Celebration of Ruth’s Life will be held on April 3. Please email lisahattig@ gmail.com for more information.