Ruth Anne (Cooper) Norris passed away peacefully on July 14, 2021, in Lompoc, California at the age of 88.  She was the eldest of three daughters born to Rev. Morris and Ruth (Reidenbach) Cooper.  Born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, she grew up in Greenville, where her father was the Administrator of St Paul's Children's Home and Home for the Aging.

Surrounded by music from the day she was born, Ruth travelled to Tiffin, Ohio to attend Heidelberg College, where she majored in Voice and minored in Piano.  It was also there that she met her future husband, Duane Norris, when her roommate's boyfriend introduced the two.

Ruth and Duane were married August 22, 1955 in Greenville under the oak tree in her parent's front yard.  Rev. Cooper officiated at the wedding as well as the future baptisms of their three children.

Ruth and her family moved to Lompoc in 1960 where she immediately become involved in the musical opportunities the town presented. She joined the church choir and became the choir director for the Valley of the Flowers United Church of Christ.

She began teaching at Los Berros Elementary School in 1969, retiring in 1991. Her students varied over the years, second graders, fourth graders; whatever level she had, her classrooms rang out with music.  She incorporated music into everything she taught.  Studying Native Americans? Out came the rhythm band instruments. Louisiana Purchase? She introduced her students to Jazz. Music was everywhere.

Mixed in with all this was her love of Opera.  In the 1980's she joined the Santa Barbara Opera Workshop and for several years realized her dream of singing in operas.  They performed many of the well-known operas, plus entertained the public with dinner shows. She was in her element.

After she retired in 1991, she spent the next three years with the Creative Children's Project, sharing her talent and love of music with the elementary schools in Lompoc.

Music was also present at home. A word would remind her of a song and she'd immediately start singing. She played piano while her children danced around the room. They grew up listening to her crystal clear Soprano voice singing them to sleep at night, while she cooked dinner, did the laundry; yes, music was everywhere in her life.

She is survived by her three children, Dana Jeanne Norris, Carolyn (Brian) Callihan and Sam Norris, her honorary granddaughter Dayna Biden, a sister, Ginny Groover in Ohio and many nieces and nephews.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Duane Gene Norris, and her sister Lois May Eastlick.

Per her request, there will be no service. Contributions may be made in her honor to the Lompoc Valley Master Chorale, LVMC, PO Box 24, Lompoc CA 93438. Please note Youth Chorale in your donation.