Patricia L. Ruland

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Patricia L. Ruland née Ward, age 76, passed peacefully after a short battle with cancer Dec. 3, 2022. She was born in Long Branch and resided in Oceanport for the last two years.

Patricia grew up in Rumson and graduated from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in 1964. She met her husband Robert when she was 15 years old and they married in 1965. They raised four children in Monmouth Beach and resided there for many years.

Patricia spent her career at Shore Regional High School as an administrative assistant, retiring in 2007 after 25 years. She joined the Monmouth Beach Ladies Auxiliary in 1975. She was president 10 times and vice president three times. She also spent many hours preparing and serving at the annual Monmouth Beach Firemen’s Fair.

Patricia was predeceased by her parents, Lucille and William Ward; her brother and sister-in-law William and Karen Ward; her husband Robert in 2011; her brothers-in law, Gary and Thomas Ruland; and her beloved dog Nikki.

Patricia loved spending time with her family, especially her 11 grandchildren. Christmas was her favorite time of year and it was always her goal to get everyone together for Christmas Day.

She is survived by her children: Tricia Masica of Toms River; Dianne Feeny and her husband John of Fair Haven; Renee Toop and her husband Shane of Boonville, North Carolina; and Robert Ruland and his wife Rebecca of Oceanport. She is also survived by her beloved sister Doreen Tewksbury of Eustis, Florida and her cherished grandchildren, Joseph, Kevin and Kyle Masica; Kaitlyn, John and Bryan Feeny; Evan and Joshua Toop; Dillon, Tyler and Patrick Ruland. Also surviving are great-grandson Troyce Masica; her sisters-in-law Ruth Bachman of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Christina Ruland of Cliffwood Beach and Renate Ruland of Forked River; her loving and loyal dog Brandy; and many nieces and nephews whom she adored. She will also be missed by her “lunch bunch,” her group of friends that she has spent many years with and whom she of course loved going out to lunch with!

Patricia loved to have fun and loved to dance. She and her husband were amazing dancers and their children used to love watching them together. If you put on her favorite song, “Old Time Rock & Roll,” you could always get her to dance on a table, no matter where she was! (We would like to take this opportunity to apologize to several firehouses and wedding venues in the tri-state area for the broken tables.)

Patricia was such a kind-hearted and warm, loving and open person, but she was also known as one of the most fun people to be with. She was so funny and had great wit and sarcasm. She truly loved dogs, especially her own, but if you were out in public and all of the sudden you couldn’t find her, she would always be somewhere talking to or petting someone’s dog. She used to always say, “Dogs are my favorite people.” She will be greatly missed by her children, her family and everyone who knew her, including the dogs.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at noon Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the First Presbyterian Church of Rumson, 4 East River Road, Rumson. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Monmouth Beach Volunteer Fire Department, 24 Beach Road, Monmouth Beach, NJ 07750.

The article originally appeared in the January 26 – February 1, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.