Obituary of Ruth Elizabeth Stagg

Ruth Elizabeth Stagg MD, known as Dr. Bette by her patients, died peacefully on April 11, 2016, surrounded by her children. Although we miss and love her deeply, she was ready to close this chapter of her life. One of her last comments was to thank the Seventh Day Adventist elder for sharing scripture and anointing her a week before she died. Bette was born on July 25, 1921, in Jacksonville Florida, the only child of Haskell Blount Anderson, MD, and Gladys Ruth Clark, RN. Her childhood years were spent largely in the western United States where her parents practiced medicine during the Great Depression. She attended Emmanuel Missionary College in Berrien Springs Michigan where she met her future husband, Adelbert Letts Stagg. They moved to Loma Linda California and married when they completed medical training in 1945. Dr. Bette was a member of a select group, one of only 250 women graduates (5%) in United States medical schools at the end of WW II. Drs. Bette and Del returned to Michigan and established a general practice in Hartford after initially working with her father in Watervliet. In 1967, they were joined by Dr. Del’s older brother, Dr. G. Lee Stagg, and serviced the southwestern Michigan communities for almost 60 years. Bette retired from providing anesthesia at Watervliet Hospital to join the couple’s office practice while also raising a family of five, four boys and one girl. In addition to their private practice, Drs Bette and Del teamed with other physicians and staff from the Watervliet Hospital to provide free medical care to the farm workers. They were active members of the local Seventh Day Adventist church where they combined their commitment to physical health with providing spiritual health to those in need. Their first family home was above the office at 9 North Maple Street. After Sally was born they moved to Van Auken Lake outside of Hartford and opened their home to friends, church members and the community. In 1978 she moved to Texas where she lived with her cousin Frances Clark, Education Director for the SW Union Conference of SDA, until her cousin’s death in 2006. She relocated to Southern California in 2008 to be closer to her children. Her final residence was in Agoura Hills near her daughter. Bette was an avid reader and formidable game player. Her wit and wry sense of humor continued to endear her to everyone who knew her. Despite a severe hearing disability she maintained an active presence in the local church, in the medical community including volunteering at the local County Health Department and in the lives of her children and grandchildren. Bette is survived by her children, Del Jr (Carole) of Irvine CA, Bob of Mentone CA, Andy of Kent WA, Kirk (Luanne) of Vancouver WA, and Sally of Malibu CA, 9 grandchildren and 4 (+1) great grandchildren. She will be buried in Keene Texas, the graveside service on April 29, 2016. A celebration of her life will be held later this spring, the date and location to be announced. Bette’s family would like to acknowledge and thank the extraordinary care that she received by the staff of Meadowbrook Senior Living and Assisted Hospice Foundation. In lieu of flowers, condolences may be sent to the website of Rose Family Funeral Home in Simi Valley, CA.