Theresa Ann Ruch

January 1, 1960 – January 12, 2026

Stillwater, Oklahoma

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Theresa Ann Ruch passed away on January 12, 2026. She will be remembered with love, compassion, and grace, and for a life marked by boundless personality and a joyful sense of adventure.

For 36 years, Theresa shared her life with her husband, Michael Ruch. Together they built a family that was the center of her world. She was a proud mother to Tara Burnett and her husband, Jake, and to Aaron Ruch and his wife, Cara, and she found her greatest joy in being “Grammy” to Aaron and Cara’s five boys—Hunter, Hudson, Hayes, Lane, and Wyatt. And, always by her side through it all were her beloved dogs, Mildred, Hannah, and Zeo, her constant companions.

Theresa’s circle extended far beyond her immediate family. She is survived by her brother Vince Livsey and his wife, Dana, and their family; her sister Sally Barbee and her husband, Chuck, and their family; her brother Chris Livsey and his wife, Cindy, and their family; her niece Lauren Johnson and her wife, Kay, daughter of Theresa’s late brother Charlie Livsey; and the closest friend she ever had, Kathy DeLay. She was preceded in death by her parents, Vincent and Mary Livsey; her brothers John, Larry, and Charlie Livsey; and her mother-in-law, Alice Pauline Ruch.

To know Theresa was to feel seen. She had an effortless way of drawing people in—making things fun, making people feel included, and making any room brighter the moment she entered it. Often the life of the party, her laugh was unmistakable and her presence impossible to ignore. She loved beautiful shoes and purses, took pride in being a devoted pit mama at Thunder Valley Racetrack for the Ruch Racing Team, and believed deeply that planning the next trip was one of life’s greatest pleasures.

That same warmth and generosity defined her professional life. Theresa spent her career as a nurse, offering skilled, compassionate, and selfless care to her patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served on the front lines, steady and devoted through one of the most challenging periods in modern healthcare. To those she cared for, and to those who worked beside her, she was a source of comfort and strength—quietly reflecting the resilience and love she carried into every part of her life.

At home, Theresa created traditions filled with magic. Birthdays were celebrated loudly, often accompanied by intentionally off-key singing. Christmas mornings were legendary—stockings placed at the foot of the bed meant Santa had been there overnight, and gifts were sometimes hilariously mislabeled thanks to champagne-fueled enthusiasm while playing Mrs. Claus. Thanksgiving held a special place in her heart, especially the time spent cooking together as family gathered around her table.

Theresa loved The Amazing Race and never stopped trying to convince someone to join her on the show. A true hippie at heart, her love of life was echoed in her music, especially the female voices of the 1970s—Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Janis Joplin.

It is in that free-spirited way that her family and friends choose to remember her. They imagine Theresa with her brother Charlie, riding his motorcycle, reaching a crossroads and choosing a direction with no plan other than the promise of the open road ahead—at peace, adventurous, and exactly where she belongs.

A public service will be held on Monday, January 19, at 2:00 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Gardens (6500 S. Perkins Rd., Stillwater, OK 74074), with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in honor of her grandson Hayes Ruch and his valiant fight against cancer to The Eddie Sutton Foundation (www.theeddiesuttonfoundation.…)

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