Gail Jean Ruddiman

Gail Jean (Andrist) Ruddiman was born on June 18, 1931, in St. Francis, Kansas, to Jacob Andrist and Bernice (Smutz) Andrist. She passed away on January 14, 2026, in Salem, Oregon.

Gail graduated in 1953 from Providence Hospital School of Nursing where she studied nursing. She worked for one year at McMinnville Hospital in McMinnville, Oregon, and one year at Providence Hospital in Portland, Oregon. In 1955, she moved to Newport, Oregon, where she married Russell Ruddiman. She worked for one year at Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport.

In 1977, Gail began working for the Lincoln County Health Department as a Public Health Nurse, where she remained until her retirement in 1991.

Gail lived in Keizer, Oregon, for the past 20 years and was an active member of Saint Edward Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Russell Ruddiman; her parents, Jacob and Bernice Andrist; and eight siblings.

She is survived by her children: Lisa (Ruddiman) Say, Pat Ruddiman, Tom Ruddiman, and Bob Ruddiman; six grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; and one sister, Wanda Manson of Martinez, California.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Providence Center for Medically Fragile Children, in memory of Gail Ruddiman.