Ruth Elizabeth (Frye) Gagliardi

Obituary Ruth Elizabeth (Frye) Gagliardi was born on June 6, 1925, and entered heaven on her 92nd birthday, June 6, 2017. A lifelong resident of Tacoma, Ruth was fiercely independent and had a mind of her own. She was a standout athlete and played sports long before it was encouraged or even socially acceptable for girls to do so. In the early 1940's she won the Tacoma city tennis championship while in her teens and continued an active lifestyle well into her 80's, playing golf and tennis, bowling, and walking. Ruth attended Tacoma public schools and graduated from the all-girls Aquinas Academy. After high school she attended Marylhurst College and the University of Washington, where she became a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. She met the love of her life, Joe, while working part-time at JC Penney Co. In an era where sales transactions were hand-written on a notepad, Ruth kept breaking the tip of her pencil and Joe kept sharpening it for her. Eager to see the world and do her part for her country, Ruth joined the U.S. Navy as a WAVE and served in World War II at the rank of Pharmacist's Mate. As fate would have it, her future husband became a pharmacist. Ruth and Joe married at St. Patrick Catholic Church on August 28, 1948 and spent the next 70 years completely devoted to each other and to their five children. While raising her children, Ruth was an active volunteer for Orthopedic, Kappa Alpha Theta, Boy Scouts, Junior Assemblies, Catholic Women's Club and Fircrest Golf Club. She and her husband were early members of St. Charles Borromeo Church. Ruth is survived by her husband, G. Joseph, and four of her children: Gregg, James (Peggy), Marianne (Joe) Floyd and Elizabeth (James) Catalinich. She was beloved "Nonny" to her grandchildren Benjamin (Sherice), Timothy, and Elizabeth Floyd, Alexander and Michael Hutchinson, Allison MacNealy, and Vienna, Juliana and John Gagliardi. Ruth leaves behind an extended family of sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews who loved her and her famous chocolate cake. She was preceded in death by her parents, Almon and Eva Frye, and her three brothers, Howard, Russell and Norman Frye. Ruth's youngest daughter, Barbara Ann, died in early childhood. The family is grateful to those who cared for her in her final days, especially the caregivers from Visiting Angels. A Rosary will be said at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 13 at Gaffney Funeral Home and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family invites a donation in Ruth's name to the American Heart Association. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home