June 27, 2019 Hebrew Educational Alliance Denver, Colorado
Ruth Yvette Bugdanowitz Toltz
Ruth Toltz — known as Ruthie to all her longtime family and friends — had several great loves of her life. The first was her maternal grandfather Sam Weisbart, born in Poland he emigrated to Colorado in the early 1900s and became a cattleman, a Jewish cowboy. Her entire life Mom talked about her grandfather who really made her feel special among a large group of Weisbart family relatives. Mom’s second great love was her younger brother Rick Bugdanowitz, the golden child who married his high school sweetheart and brought Mom’s sister-in-law Sheila Sherman Bugdanowitz into our family. Mom’s uncle on her father’s side of the family, Bob Bugdanowitz, was another of Mom’s loves. He was a big man who made a big impression and exuded confidence any client would want to have in their lawyer. And then there was the love of her life Warren Toltz, who became her husband and lifelong companion for 66 years, which recently ended with the Dad’s sad passing just a year and a half ago.
Later in life Mom, along with everyone else formed a very strong bond and love of our Aunt Ann Radetsky Toltz, who moved from Kansas City to Denver in the 1980s for a very special marriage with Israel Toltz. Mom really took responsibility for Aunt Ann’s welfare and happiness in Denver after Papa Toltz passed away and for years led everyone’s efforts to “take care of Aunt Ann” which was everyone’s great pleasure!
She also formed close relationships with her sister-in-law Berta Naiman and Brother-in-law Bernie Naiman as they were all young marrieds raising a house full of kids at very young ages. In fact by the time Mom was 25 she already had 3 kids.
Mom had a tremendous role model growing up in her mother Esther Weisbart Bugdanowitz one of Denver’s pioneer women in business who also held leadership positions with Denver’s Jewish institutions such as Beth Israel Hospital. “Nana Bugs” — as we all called her — set the tone in the extended family with her direct style of communications which was centered by her loving heart and spirit. Nana was a Weisbart through and through and loved to host extended family for all Jewish occasions, until Mom took over after her passing.
Mom took hosting family occasions as a special responsibility and pleasure and often invited along with Dad some couple or family new to the community to ensure they felt welcomed in Denver.
Both Mom and Dad were actively committed to Jewish community causes, Israel and community organizations and often held leadership positions on the various boards and committees on which they served. They later established the annual Ruth and Warren Toltz Young Leadership Award for the Allied Jewish Federation (now JewishColorado) to recognize an outstanding young up-and-coming participant in support of Allied’s mission. I have often heard from recipients and participants how meaningful it is to receive that award with my parents’ name and legacy.
Mom was also a national leader of the United Jewish Appeal Women’s Division and was one of the first recipients of the national Lion of Judah Award which recognized not only her giving level but her ongoing commitment to mentoring, supporting, advising, promoting other women to step into leadership positions — a legacy of her mother Esther Bugdanowitz.
On a personal note, way back in 1980 Mom led a Denver mission to the national UJA conference in NYC and invited me to join her from my position in Washington with AIPAC. I flew up to the New York Hilton where Mom made me a comfortable bed on the floor of her room so I could participate in the national conference. Somehow Mom also made time to take me to my first Broadway musical “Evita” with the original Broadway cast! Somehow Mom knew it would be the perfect show for me due to its historical and political themes.
Mom always had a love of Broadway musicals singing and performing. In fact in her early years she had a beautiful voice and dreamed of singing on stage with a big band. I doubt she had any formal training, but she did cut her own single back in the early 40s. It was a gift for her beloved Uncle Bob who was off in Europe fighting World War II. You’ll be surprised to know the song she recorded was “White Christmas”!
NOTES
Mom was excited when I told her about my upcoming move to Israel, very supportive and understood where I was going to be living and why I had chosen to move to Israel now.
Leadership in every involvement as a volunteer in the Jewish community, and especially proud of her work to support Israel via Allied Jewish Federation and United Jewish Appeal. Also very dedicated to the work of ADL and served on the regional board for many years.
Led a Denver delegation to DC in the early 1980s when I worked at AIPAC and made sure the delegation was briefed at AIPAC offices by her son prior to their meetings on the Hill with Colorado members of Congress — she was very proud that I was the briefer!
Athletic, learned to play golf, tennis and ski. Loved to play competitive tennis matches with Warren as her mixed doubles partner — one of the few couples who could get along on the court together!
CU Buffs fan who along with Dad attended many CU football games sitting outside in Folsom Field with their Boulder friends the Earnests in the row right behind. In subsequent years Barb Earnest loved to tell the story how Mom would leave at halftime to go shopping, the meet up with Dad to go back to Denver.
Mom was raised on the East side of Denver and was considered an Eastsider which meant attending Reform Jewish services at Temple Emanuel and forgoing a Bat Mitzvah. Much later in life Mom studied and learned Hebrew and all the prayers to participate in a service to become a Bat Mitzvah, of which she was very proud.