Obituary: MaryRuth Stranz, 73, The Dalles
MaryRuth Stranz
MaryRuth Stranz, 73, of The Dalles, Oregon, passed away peacefully at home on June 6, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family.
MaryRuth was born on February 8, 1953, in The Dalles, Oregon, to Edward and Mary Nelson. Raised in Wasco County, she developed a deep love for agriculture and community at an early age. As a youth, she was actively involved in FFA, proudly raising and showing steers at the Wasco County Fair for many years.
After graduating from high school, MaryRuth attended Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon University), where she earned her degree in Education. During this time, she met the love of her life, Jeff Stranz. They were married in June 1976 and shared nearly fifty years of faithful partnership, friendship, and devotion.
Education was not simply MaryRuth's profession—it was her calling. While teaching and raising a family, she continued her own education and earned a Master of Science degree from Portland State University in 2000. Her commitment to lifelong learning reflected the example she set for her students, colleagues, and family.
For decades, MaryRuth was a cornerstone of the North Wasco County School District. Her service spanned classrooms at the former Joseph G. Wilson School and many years at The Dalles Middle School, where she taught, coached, mentored, substituted, and supported district programs. Through her steady encouragement, high expectations, and genuine care, she impacted generations of students and educators. Even after her retirement, her love for teaching and her community brought her back to the classroom, where she served several more years as a teacher and mentor at Colonel Wright Elementary School.
MaryRuth’s dedication to education reflected her deep love for children and her gift for nurturing growth in others. Whether in the classroom or beyond it, she encouraged curiosity, celebrated accomplishments, and inspired confidence in those around her. Above all, she cherished her own family, finding her greatest joy in her children and grandchildren. She delighted in their accomplishments, encouraged their dreams, attended their activities, and treasured every opportunity to be together.
Faith in Jesus Christ was the foundation of MaryRuth's life. Throughout the years, she was an active member of Mosier Community Church, The Dalles First Christian Church, and later Calvary Baptist Church.
Her faith was not merely something she professed but something she lived. She served faithfully, encouraged others generously, and demonstrated Christ's love through her kindness, humility, and care for those around her. Whether in her church, her classroom, or her home, MaryRuth sought to point others toward the hope and grace she had found in her Savior.
MaryRuth is survived by her beloved husband, Jeff Stranz; her children and grandchildren: Cora and Jared Sawyer, and their children Colton, Ruthie, Ethan, Olivia, and Solomon; Jennifer and Joel Vaught, and their children Lillen, Eliza, and Silas; Isaac and Tiffany Stranz, and their children Ezekiel and Shogren; Nathan and Emily Stranz, and their daughter Lucy.
She is also survived by her brothers, Nick Nelson and Edward Nelson, both of The Dalles.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Mary Nelson, and by her sister, Kathleen Nelson.
MaryRuth leaves behind a legacy of faith, love, service, and dedication. Her influence lives on in the lives of her family, the students she taught, the educators she mentored, and the community she loved so well. Confident in the promises of Christ, her family rejoices that she is now in the presence of the Savior she faithfully followed throughout her life.
A celebration of MaryRuth's life will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the family home in Mosier, Oregon. Family and friends are invited to gather as they remember and celebrate a life marked by love, service, faithfulness, and a lasting commitment to family, education, and community.
