Alma Olga Ruiz

Alma Olga Ruiz was born on September 15, 1933, in Edinburg, Texas to Bernardo and Clotilde Saldana, where she was raised and attended school. She graduated from Edinburg High School in 1952.

Alma moved to Houston, Texas in 1955 where she was employed as a secretary in the office of Agricultural and Vocational Skills at the Texas Education Agency.

Alma met her future husband, David Ruiz, on a blind date in January 1956. They were soon engaged in March and then married on July 6, 1956, and resided in Austin for a short time.

In 1957, Alma moved to Killeen when her husband accepted a job as an optician at Fort Hood. She then spent many years as a homemaker and mom to her three children, David Austin, Marilyn and Sylvia.

After her children began school, Alma began working with her husband as his optical assistant at his office, Ruiz Optical, from 1970-1983. She then went to work as a receptionist for her son at his optometry practice, Killeen Eyecare Center. She retired in 2001, and in 2020 she moved to Newnan, Georgia to live with her daughter, Marilyn. There she enjoyed shopping trips, spending time with the children Marilyn tutored (they called her grandma) and listening to church online during COVID closures. Once COVID restrictions lifted, Alma attended Bible studies and senior activities at Macedonia Baptist Church in Newnan. She loved to travel with the Senior Tours and was especially happy when she recently attended her grandson, Wesley’s, Battalion Change of Command in Fort Riley, Kansas.

Alma was an avid reader, and she enjoyed embroidering gifts for family and friends, tending to her roses, travelling, and listening to music as she worked around the house. Prior to moving to Georgia, she was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Killeen where she was a member of United Methodist Women and the Mary Ruth Circle. She also served as secretary/treasurer of the Wesley Sunday School class.

Alma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her sisters Maria Flores, Lydia Case, Alicia Torres, Minerva Aguirre, Yolanda Garcia and Sylvia Saldana and her brother Bernardo Saldana.

Alma is survived by her son, Dr. Austin (Kathy) Ruiz of Harker Heights; her two daughters, Marilyn King (Ret Col Chuck) of Newnan, GA and Sylvia Gatewood (Jason) of Whiteville, TN; nine grandchildren; twenty-one great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests all memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church Killeen Building Fund or to The Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, Texas.