Born in Brooklyn in 1932 (the worst year of the Great Depression), Ruth was the daughter of Russian immigrant parents. During her childhood, Ruth’s father spent several years apart from the family, working to build a dam for the Tennessee Valley Authority.
After high school, Ruth worked in the Garment District in Manhattan, and in 1956, met Eric Gewurz on a blind date. Ruth and Eric were engaged one week later and married six months following their engagement. Ruth raised three children, Mindy z’l, Bennett and Andrew.
As an adult, she fulfilled her dream of attending and graduating college and received a degree in sociology from Queens College.
Ruth loved art and theater – she visited almost all of the New York museums on multiple occasions.
Ruth was active in the Sisterhood at Oceanside Jewish Center.
She had nine grandchildren; Jordan, Karoline, Brian, Jacob, Emma, Rachel, Jamie, Zachary and Jack and two great-grandchildren, Maxwell and Charlie Eric.