Ruth Ann Koenig, born Monday, February 3, 1941 to Reinhold Rudolph and Alfreda Julia nee Cowalina Koenig at Bellevue Maternity Home in Schenectady, N.Y., passed away gently, quietly, peacefully on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at Quail Crest Memory Care in Eugene, Oregon, aged 85 years, 29 days.

She is survived by daughter Sharma, partner Jamal, and grandson Amir Sanders of Portland, OR; brother Ronald Koenig; niece Kristine Nuivert of Sandy, OR, and her children, Darrell Sessions, and Kassi Morgan; nephew Reinhard, wife Melissa, and daughters Caroline and Aiden Koenig; and cousins Carol, Ken, Joan, Paul, Karen, and Billy.

Ruth was predeceased by her parents; brother Glenn, died age 5; and cousin Frankie, died age 19.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 2:00pm Pacific Time on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Central Presbyterian Church, 555 E. 15th Av., Eugene, OR. If unable to attend in person, you may go to the website, http://centraleugene.church, to watch on livestream.

To know Ruth was to experience community. Any and all who knew, or knew of, Ruth are welcome to join in celebrating a life well lived. Bring memories, stories, pictures, music, poetry, and joy to share!

In keeping with her deep commitment to and love for the earth, she chose a green burial which occurred on Monday, March 16, 2026 at Oak Hill Cemetery, 88558 Oak Hill Cemetery Road, Eugene, OR, in cooperation with Andreason's Cremation & Burial Services, 320 6th St., Springfield, OR.

Ruth invites visitors to join her graveside to enjoy her view of Fern Ridge Reservoir, geese, trees, sky, and other wonders while conversing, singing, quietly communing, or strolling about. Flowers, leaves, other all natural, decomposable items are welcome!

A few Highlights & Descriptors:

Raised in Scotia, NY. Attended State University of New York, Cortland. Taught Physical Education in Shelton, Washington and Eugene, Oregon. Graceful ice skater and skier. Civil Rights activist. Women's Rights advocate. Completed University of Oregon Master of Science in English/Literature, December 20, 1968. Community School Coordinator, Lincoln Elementary. Eugene Stream Team Director. Docent, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene. Regular patronage of Very Little Theater, Hult Center, and other cultural arts. Mountain climber. Active Environmentalist who lived what she preached. Networker and web-weaver. Hostess. Fearless. Tireless. Committed to Peace, Justice, Equality. Life-long Learner. Beacon of Light of Kindness, Love, and Generosity.

Examples:

Ruth had an insatiable desire to understand a thing by experiencing it, resulting in her many travels, involvements, and headlong immersions into places in the midst of upheaval, violence, suffering, and often courageous struggle.

Notably:

+ 1963 Freedom Rider to Mississippi, U.S.A.: her journal is in the National Archives, Washington, D.C. "Black people have the right to vote, so I was registering them to vote."

+ Nicaragua: went with several church mission trips during the Sandinista revolution overthrowing U.S.-backed Somoza, followed by brutal civil war, 1970s-1980s.

+ South Africa: met with then-wife of imprisoned Nelson Mandela, under real danger to her hosts and herself; she has an unpublished manuscript about the experience, and cousin Carol wrote her version of the story, whence cometh the above depiction.

Other places Ruth went include, in no particular order:

+Egypt, her photo of a sphinx was a favorite; + Germany, father's homeland where she met many relatives, and + Poland, mother's family's place of origin; + Cuba, for cultural understanding; + India, where she adopted Sharma from Calcutta through Holt International; + Canada, with Sharma sometime later; + New Zealand, with members of the Winnemem Wintu tribe, who went to bring back salmon that were descended from other salmon that hatched from eggs the tribe had taken to New Zealand in the 1950's (1953?); + Zimbabwe, where the batik she so admired originated.

Ruth gifted us, and many others, with precious memories. She also wanted to "go out giving." If you remember other places she visited, have stories or pictures to share, songs to sing, poetry to read, or questions to pose, please share them with us on Saturday, April 25! All are welcome.