In Loving Memory: Ruth Margaret Jackson Ganong

In Loving Memory:

Ruth Margaret Jackson Ganong

January 9, 1924-December 22, 2015

Ruth Margaret Jackson Ganong, 91, of Albany, CA passed away peacefully on the morning of December 22, 2015 surrounded by her children in the home she designed and built in 1965.

Born on January 9, 1924 and raised in Winnetka, IL., Ruth attended New Trier High School, and Smith College, then went on to be the first woman to graduate from Boston Architectural College. On February 22, 1948 she married William Francis Ganong, and raised four children.

She dedicated her life to public service, serving in many roles including as Albany School Board President, Mayor of Albany, and on the Boards of the Albany YMCA and AC Transit where she served one term as president. She was involved for many years in protecting San Francisco Bay and improving education in Albany.

She loved to entertain, paint, build things, play Scrabble, travel the world and cook exotic foods. Despite being told she would never walk without a brace after having polio as a child, she never let it slow her down and also enjoyed jogging, bicycling, backpacking and sailing.

She survived her late husband, William Francis Ganong and leaves behind her children and their spouses, Francis Ganong and Marilyn Newman, Susan and Howard Hardie, Anna and Ginny Hobbet, and James Ganong and Cynthia Lorence, 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. She also leaves behind a great community of life-long friends in Albany.

Donations in her honor can be made in lieu of flowers to The Albany Education Foundation (1320 Solano Avenue, Suite 203 Albany, CA 94706) or to the Albany YMCA (921 Kains Avenue Albany, CA 94706).

A memorial service to honor her life and legacy will be held on Sunday April 3, 2016 at 2 p.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall in Albany, CA.