Ignacio Ruiz, 101, of Perris, CA, passed away on March 04, 2023 peacefully at home surrounded by family.

Ignacio was actually born on September 28, 1921, however due to a clerical error early in life, all of our dad’s legal documents list his birth date as October 28, 1921.  Born in Santa Barbara, California to Socorro and Abundio Ruiz, Ignacio spent his very early years  playing with the Native children at the Mission, burying a coffee tin of pennies on Mission grounds which he dug up and retrieved much later in life. Upon his father’s untimely death, the family moved south  first to San Gabriel, eventually purchasing a home and settling in Pasadena.  There Dad played baseball in dirt fields with Jackie Robinson, spent many afternoons observing Mama Robinson make her savory jambalaya, practiced diving with Sammy Lee at Brookside Pool on Wednesdays, International Day ( they emptied the pool Wednesday nights and refilled), and once he had his license, was a driver for General Patton’s mother.  Mrs.  Robinson and Mrs. Patton had profound impacts on Ignacio’s life. Mrs. Robinson showed him how a mixture of spices could turn ordinary into gourmet, a skill our dad practiced in the myriad of dishes and meals he prepared for family and social  gatherings  throughout his life. He also learned from her that food  is love. Ignacio loved food and he loved people. He loved entertaining and was happiest when he was in the kitchen and socializing. Mrs. Patton inspired love and service to his country, so Ignacio enlisted in the Army in 1942. Upon his enlistment Ignacio was sent to Fort  McCoy in Wisconsin for basic training. He was hoping to be sent overseas to join the action, but his talents in the kitchen, his organizational skills  and his gift of gab kept him in Wisconsin for the duration. Ignacio received his Seargent’s stripes there  as he supervised the kitchen crew but more importantly the prison staff. Most of the prisoners were Japanese and Ignacio, being a  caring snd personable individual became  fluent in Japanese after his three year service, a talent that served him well at his post service job working for Safeway Stores, first in Pasadena and then in East Los Angeles where there was a substantial Japanese community. Ignacio spent the majority of his life working for Safeway first as a butcher and later managing the meat department as the industry changed. Throughout his years however he always managed to incorporate his love of food and innovation. Cooking, creating meals and feeding others brought him great joy until he retired and moved to Perris. At age seventy, Ignacio went about landscaping his new family home, building the concrete wall and doing all the hard scape as well. He loved working in the yard. He also immersed himself into his continued role as a grandpa, first to his son’s and daughters’ children and later as a great granddad - a role he loved and was so proud of. Ignacio was a force of nature, determined to provide for family and give them the life he felt they deserved. His family meant more to him than anything else in the world, something he often mentioned. As a 100 year old, he often commented during times the great grandkids would be running wild through the house and yard, “I wish I could have this every day.”  He loved witnessing life in action. He was unendingly loving and proud. Ignacio was predeceased by his first wife, Vera, his first born son Richard, his first grandson Richard Jr., his first great granddaughter  Angelique and his second wife Julia. Julia chose to be cremated. The Urns with her ashes have been placed in Ignacio’s casket and their headstone will bear both names.  He is survived by his daughters Rebecca and Roberta, his sons John, Gerald and Ken, son-in-law Bill, his granddaughters Deanna, Andrea, Danica, Lauren, Maddie and Nikki, grandsons Jonathan,  Robert, Renee, Gerald, Ronnie, Ricky, Robby,  granddaughter-in-law Channy, great grandsons Cory,  Alex, Christopher, Julian and great granddaughters Erica, Serena, Chloe and Mia. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Saint Jude Hospital. Ignacio was blessed with good health but Saint Jude was his Saint of choice for prayer, and our family has had its share of cancer cases. 

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