Obituary of Ruth E. Dunlap

Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother went to heaven on Friday, January 31, 2014. She was born August 3, 1918 to John and Virginia Owsley in Blue Springs, Missouri. Her family had a strong family bond that supported everyone while moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota for her to study fashion design, men’s tailoring, and the furrier trade. She met her first husband in Missouri before moving to California to support World War II efforts by supervising a large crew of seamstresses at McDonnell-Douglas making Air Force pilot suits. After the war she worked briefly as an animator for Walt Disney Studios before becoming the wardrobe assistant to Dorothy Lamour. With the prospect of starting a family she moved with her family to Eugene where she established herself as a master tailor in the old Public Market. She was preceded in death by her first husband John Phillips. Three years later she met her husband Louis Dunlap at a square dancing class at Goshen Elementary School which was taught by Louis. After a persistent courtship they were married May 4, 1957.While being an independent business woman with her men’s tailoring and alteration businesses which included making custom designed and fitted wedding dresses, she actively supported and participated in public school organizations, was a member of local Christian churches, and enjoyed travelling the world with her husband. She retired from her satisfying career on February 28, 2013 at the age of 94.Ruth had a strong Christian belief that supported her throughout her life and career. She was proud and supportive of her family of which she was the matriarch, but she was always loving, caring and giving. She found meeting people of all walks of life to be interesting and enjoyable, of which some became lifelong friends. She is survived by her husband, two sons and their wives, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.The funeral service will be on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at 2:00 at Lane Memorial Funeral Home. There will be a visitation on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 at Lane Memorial Funeral Home from 2:00 to 7:00.Donations to American Heart Association may be made in lieu of flowers. Arrangements entrusted to Lane Memorial Funeral Home. Please access the obituary and you are invited to sign the guestbook at musgroves.com