Eugenia Latapie Ruegg
August 1, 1936 - June 25, 2022
On Saturday, June 25, 2022, Eugenia Latapie Ruegg, loving wife and mother of three children passed away at the age of 85.
She was born in Oakland, CA on August 1, 1936, to Eugene and Jennie Latapie of Berkeley, CA. She attended Jefferson Grammar School, Garfield Junior High and Berkeley High School before graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1958, where she was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority.
In 1952, when she was at Berkeley High School, she was set up on a blind date with a UC Berkeley student, David Ruegg. A first date at Coffee Dan’s in San Francisco was the beginning of a seven-year courtship that became a 63-year marriage. Their marriage was built on love, commitment, and a sense of pride.
After graduating college and in the early years of their marriage, Eugenia worked as an elementary school teacher. After their first son, Scott was born in 1961 she dedicated her time to raising her family which grew with the addition of Suzanne in 1962 and Steven in 1964. This was the beginning of her focus and lifelong dedication to family which extended to her children’s children. She attended every play, musical and sporting event (and there were a lot) of her children and grandchildren’s. If she missed an event, she always called the next day to find out how they went as she never wanted to miss a moment.
She and Dave spent a lifetime of traveling, which included over 109 countries, all 50 states, Puerto Rico and D.C. They saw the mud people in New Guinea and spent eight weeks in a motor home driving across the states with their children. They took countless ski trips to Vail, Aspen and Europe. Eugenia picked up skiing at the age of 40, so that she and Dave could do these trips together. Eugenia even put aside her fears to fly with Dave in his small Beechcraft Bonanza so that they could take trips across the United States and Mexico.
Eugenia was passionate about reading and belonged to the Claremont Book Club for fifty years, as well as the Berkeley Book Club. She was a member of the Town and Country Club of San Francisco and the Art Group of Oakland. She also belonged to a “Tennis Group” even though she didn’t play tennis, it was the foundation of lifelong friendships. She loved the traditions of Christmas Eve, Trader Vic’s celebrations, and Friday dinners at the Claremont Country Club. Her life centered around her love of her family, relatives and countless dear friends.
Eugenia was preceded in death by her parents, Eugene and Jennie. She is survived by her husband David, their three children Scott (Heather), Suzanne, and Steven (Amy). She is also survived by her six grandchildren Kyra (26), Matt (23), Scotty (19), Alexa (19), Elle (16) and Chase (14), her sister Elizabeth Cole and countless nieces, nephews and cousins.
A service will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 10:00 a.m.at Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, CA with a reception immediately following at Claremont Country Club, Oakland CA. All are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity in her name.