Ruth Marie Lochbrunner, 86, of Mount Vernon passed away on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at home with her family by her side. She was born to William and Sara (Beaty) Vandenburg on March 6, 1928. She graduated from Sedro-Woolley High School in the class of 1946. After attending Western Washington State College for 2 years, she met and married Benard Lochbrunner on February 5, 1949. Eighteen years and four children later, she returned to Western and graduated with a BA in Elementary Education in 1967. She taught school in Conway, Washington for 22 years. Throughout her life, Ruth could be found in church on Sunday mornings. She attended Calvary Baptist Church in Burlington, Washington with her children, and later attended the Burlington Christian Alliance Church from the time it started in the BEHS library. Her collection of Angel figurines is still a remarkable testament to her faith. Family reunions were a regular and fun part of life at her home in Bayview and also when she moved to Conway. In her Mount Vernon home she hosted "March Birthdays" with the "Old Time Fiddlers" as guests and entertainment. Throughout the 70's and 80's, Ruth and Benard backpacked the trails to the high-altitude lakes in the Glacier Peak Wilderness and the Northern Cascade Mountains. They even had a llama named Cisco to accompany them as well as their small poodle, Poozie. Many fond memories and quite a few spectacular photos are held by friends who tagged along on those adventures. Ruth was married for 49+ years until Benard died in 1998. Older sisters Helen (Besherse), Virginia (Tesch), and younger sister Wilma (Wyatt) have passed since then. Survivors include: her brother Dan Vandenburg and his wife, Lavonda, Youngest sister Sara (Strong), Children, Lowell Lochbrunner, Eileen (Mike) Mallinson, Crystal Young, Dena Decker, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, three nephews, seven nieces, and numerous other family members who will all miss her love. The family wishes to express a special Thank You to the most caring workers of Hospice of the Northwest'. Visitation will be held from 9 AM until the memorial service at 1:30 PM Thursday, May 15th at Hawthorne Funeral Home on College Way in Mount Vernon, Washington.