Posted 6 September 2024
The first thing to say about Ruth Leitch is that she was never just “Ruth”; she was Gus-and-Ruth. Ruth and Gus. Their love for each other was legendary. She called him Gray (his birth name was Graham); he called her TDR — short for The Darling Ruth.
Gus and Ruth were married in 1972 – she with her flaming red hair and smart suit, and he beaming with pride. They found each other relatively later in life (for the time), but once they had formed a partnership, they wasted little time.
They travelled constantly and embarked on countless adventures together — with trips to the United States and Mexico, and jazz festivals around Australia, only a few examples.
Gus’s sister, my Aunty Janine, remembers that the two of them, and mainly Ruth, bankrolled Bill Pound’s Bonneville land speed record. They spent 3 years in a row on the salt flats – one of them with their dear friend Bob McGillivray – and it was an exciting time for all of them.
Music and motorbikes were a huge part of Ruth and Gus’s lives.
As anyone who visited their Power Street apartment could attest, visitors would be greeted with the gentle sounds of classical or jazz music playing constantly. Their walls were crammed with art and books, and there were always fresh flowers, courtesy of Ruth.
Ruth and Gus enjoyed the things that give us the most beauty in life, which included time with friends, and family.
Ruth and Gus’s dinner parties were legendary. Ruth loved experimenting with new recipes: gazpacho; coq au vin; you name it.
She was famous for punching people to express her sheer delight at a point they’d made well, or a joke that tickled her fancy — especially after a couple of glasses of red. Frequent dinner party guests made a point of not sitting to her left; especially given her penchant for wearing chunky silver rings (that Gus made)!
Dementia is a cruel disease; it robs us of the people we know and love. But we remember who she was.
Ruth was a loyal, clever, funny and elegant lady, and she was an incredible friend. She was beloved by friends and family – and especially her darling “Gray”.
Words, courtesy of Ruth’s niece, Bianca Hall
SVI is grateful to Ruth for leaving a major gift to help medical research. A gift in your Will is an immensely powerful way to make a difference, whether you’ve been personally affected by the diseases we study at SVI, or simply want to invest in the future health of our community.