Laureldean Waugh
Laureldean (Wright) Waugh died of natural causes on January 18, 2015 after a full life. Lollie, as she was known, was born at St. Francis Hospital in Santa Barbara on June 5, 1928 to Chester R. and Hope (Forster) Wright. Lollie was the eldest of 4 children and was raised on the West Side in Santa Barbara. She attended Harding Elementary, La Cumbre Junior High and Santa Barbara High Schools, where she was the Girl’s League Election Board chairman, and a member of the Big Sister committee. Like most families of the time, Lollie and her family endured the hardships of the Great Depression and World War II, but nevertheless they enjoyed many fun and happy times as a family
After her graduation from Santa Barbara High School in 1946, Lollie worked briefly for the Santa Barbara Credit Bureau. While advancing quickly in her job there, she soon obtained a job as a secretary at La Cumbre Junior High. Lollie married the love of her life Robert Donne Waugh on January 20, 1950 at the El Montecito Presbyterian Church after a whirlwind romance of three weeks. After the birth of their first child in 1952, Lollie enjoyed life as a full time mother and wife, a career at which she excelled and in which she took great pride. In 1972 Lollie returned to the work force when she took a seasonal job at Sears Department Store over the holidays. This developed into full-time employment and she enjoyed her work in the Children’s Department and the many very special friends that she made among her co-workers. After the tragic death of her oldest daughter Lorna Waugh Ruiz, Lollie retired from Sears in 1993 and devoted herself to her grandchildren. She also volunteered at Goleta Valley Hospital in the gift shop up until 2010.
Lollie is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert D. Waugh (1983); her precious daughter, Lorna Waugh Ruiz (1993); her sister Gwendolyn Wright Covington (1995); her brother Clinton Forster Wright (2001); and her oldest nephew Del Marshall Covington (2012).
Lollie is survived by her sister, Lynnette Wright McCoy; her daughter, Maureen (Waugh) Evans (husband Robin D. Evans); her son, Stacey Robert Waugh (wife Sonnia Waugh); her grandchildren: Michael Joseph Ruiz (wife Elizabeth (Swihart) Ruiz), Joel Robert Evans, Melissa Anne (Ruiz) Scheffler, Brian Charles Ruiz; her great granddaughters: Emily Lorna Ruiz, Kristin Hope Ruiz and Chloe Madison Scheffler; her favorite cousin Bonnie (Goodson) Sanders; as well as her very special and adored nieces and nephews.
Lollie’s family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the caregivers and staff of Heritage House where Lollie called home since May of 2011. She was very happy there.
A memorial service and reception will be held on Friday, January 30th at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 21 E. Constance Ave., Santa Barbara. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care of Santa Barbara or other charity of choice.