Ruth Elaine Early

Ruth Elaine Castillo Baltazar Early, 83 years of age, a 58-year resident of Las Vegas, went to be with her Lord and Savior Thursday, August 19, 2021, at 11:34 am. Mom passed in her home surrounded by three generations of loved ones. She passed due to complication from having Alzheimer's dementia, which she had been suffering with for the last 10 years.

She was born on January 13, 1938, in Breckenridge, Michigan to Gavino and Ruth Castillo. Ruth's parent were migrant farm workers. In the early part of their marriage, they worked the seasonal crops from Texas to Michigan, Ruth's birth state. They moved the family to central valley California where they could work the crops all season long. Gavino and Ruth decided to buy a restaurant/diner and later they owned a bar/restaurant. Ruth married her first husband, James Baltazar, by which she had five children, Russ, Quinn (who died shortly after birth), Mark, Marlene, and Desiree. They were married for 16 years before divorcing in 1971. They lived in and around the Bay area of California, then moved south to San Diego before transplanting to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1962.

Then in 1974, Ruth met the love of her life, Charles Alvin Early, better known as Tod. They were married on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1978, and were together for 34 years before Tod passed in June 2012. They lived in the same house, which was semi-custom built for them. Tod and Ruth had no children together but the combined family before grandchildren numbered nine, Tod's five children and Ruth's four.

Ruth was primarily a homemaker while married to Jim. She enjoyed knitting, embroidery and liquid embroidery, crochet, puzzles, baking, bowling and reading. In 1970, Ruth decided to go back to school to get her GED, having dropped out of school in the 11th grade to marry Jim. She first worked for H and R Block preparing taxes but then moved to the casino industry as a cage cashier where she met Tod. Tod owned his company, Central Credit, and he would make his weekly rounds to all the casino cages of all the casinos in Vegas. Ruth spurned Tod at first, rejecting his many advances, until one day Tod asked her why she would not go out with him, Ruth replied because you're married to which Tod responded, "I am not married!" And this began their time together.

Ruth and Tod enjoyed their life together immensely. They traveled all over the world seeing places like Egypt, Israel, Spain, and Italy. They went to Monaco, France, and England. They traveled the Caribbean and Mexico, both coasts of Canada and Alaska. They went east to Japan, Korea, and to Guam. One of their favorite places to visit was Maui, Hawaii to which they would go with Tod's daughter Nanci and her husband David Dhuet. They also traveled all over the United States, from California to New York, from Washington State to New England, from Texas to Michigan. Needless to say, they loved to travel.

As mentioned above Ruth and Tod had nine children between them. They also have 15 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. Ruth loved her family and she and Tod would always have big family get-togethers for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. They would also celebrate everyone's birthday as they could. Sometimes it was individually but often we would get as many of the family together as possible to celebrate as one. The one birthday Ruth enjoyed the most was celebrating Tod's birthday, May 25th. Everyone would get together at Ruth and Tod's house or in the park, but for several years, we would gather in Lee's Canyon in Mt. Charleston. It was always a wonderful time of celebration.

Ruth is now celebrating in heaven with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, where there are no more tears or suffering. She is looking down on all her family and we are all so blessed to have had her in our lives. We will miss her, but we celebrate her life and all the love she gave to so many. Rest in peace mom, we love you and we can't wait to see you again.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmeastern.com for the Early family.