Obituary
Cheryl Habberfield Ruby passed peacefully at her home in San Francisco on Saturday, September 14, 2024, surrounded by her beloved orchids, her treasured birds, and the arms of her husband and life-partner of 45 years, Richard Hart.
Considering her many varied careers, her fine artistic sensibilities and masterful skills, Cheryl’s favorite role was that of helper and supporter, bound by love of that work, affection for those involved, and an unfailing sense of responsibility. Even while battling pancreatic cancer for the past year, she dedicated every spare minute to helping others.
Cheryl was a devoted friend. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary, and thoroughly enjoyed hosting celebrations for others. Her fondest memory of this final year was the 80th birthday party thrown by her closest friends, at Cavallo Point in Sausalito, California. For her friends were her most precious possession.
Cheryl was a true artist. Working tirelessly in her sunroom studio, she would spend hours writing notes, boxing gifts, carefully decorating even the envelope of every greeting card. She couldn’t walk past a card shop.
Generally acknowledged as the world’s greatest gift wrapper, she was an even better gift giver. Every present had to be perfectly matched with the recipient and the occasion. A few people keep her gifts unopened to this day, to preserve her artwork.
After retirement, she taught herself Adobe Photoshop and InDesign, donating those skills to nonprofit organizations. She created books (ForWords in San Rafael), posters (Rabbit Rescue), programs (Opera Parallèle), brochures (Start Small, Think Big and 3RD Wind Network), and book covers (Travels with J & T).
During her final months, she was determined that every female friend and family member was to receive a special heart-shaped bracelet, each wrapped in a unique style, personal to the recipient.
Cheryl was an activist for what is good, in the best sense. Her doctoral dissertation was “Theoretical Orientations Of Diversion Staff: an examination of theoretical orientations of those in counseling roles in youth service bureaus compared with similar personnel in the juvenile justice system.”
She volunteered as a teacher within the walls of Oregon State Correctional Institution for young offenders. In juvenile counseling, she worked for years as a founding member of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. For a presentation before the Justice Department in Washington, DC, she conducted one-on-one interviews with key influencers in the Capital (Senator Ted Kennedy, Representative Shirley Chisolm, Jessie Jackson, and many others).
Cheryl was a master planner, not just professionally but personally, for all of her friends. She began an executive career as Director of Development at Los Medanos hospital in Pittsburg, California. Soon, she became Vice President for Strategic Planning at Children’s Hospital of San Francisco (CHSF), followed by Senior Vice President for Strategic Development of Northern California Health Center, the parent corporation.
There she was entrusted with facilitating the merger of CHSF with Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center, a process that gave birth to California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC). To attain approval for that monumental task, she testified for two days before the Federal Trade Commission in Washington.
Cheryl was a tireless volunteer. She led the formation of the first boards of directors for non-profit organizations such as Opera Parallèle in San Francisco, and wrote strategic plans for development of others, including ForWords.
A fierce champion of animals, she also volunteered to foster kittens at home, quickly falling in love and, thus, unable to return them to the SPCA. After viewing My Octopus Teacher, she stopped patronizing restaurants that served the cephalopod. She wore octopus jewelry. Around the world, everywhere she travelled, she made it a point to include a horseback ride — except in the Antarctic, where she settled for sit-down with the penguins. She endured a broken foot while trekking Indonesia, so that she could brave the Komodo dragons up close. That trip, with a dozen friends, was her birthday surprise for her husband.
Cheryl was an only child, born May 1, 1944, in Beaver, Pennsylvania, to Ernie and Anise Habberfield. Earning her bachelor’s degree from Kent State University, she went on to graduate San Jose State with a Masters in Marketing. She then advanced to the University of Oregon to major in Psychology, eventually earning her PhD in Quantitative Analysis.
Cheryl was kind. With that core value, she was also a no-nonsense task master, yet forgiving and inspiring. Her infectious laugh, her impish smile, will live on in the hearts of the countless people whose lives were made better for knowing her.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Cheryl’s name to one of her great loves, Opera Parallèle in San Francisco.
Thanks go to the wonderful staff and nurses at By the Bay Health for providing Cheryl with comfort and support during her final days.
