Obituary of Ruth Clise Oese

Ruth Clise Oese Ruth Clise Oese, 95, passed away on Thursday, August 29, 2024 peacefully in the home where she was born on July 23, 1929. There will be a graveside send off at Maple Grove Cemetery, Waterloo, at noon on Saturday, September 7th followed by lunch at the farm. All are welcome to attend. Born the seventh child to the late James Cyrus and Dorothy Vernon (Christiansen Patrick) Clise, Ruth was a descendent of settlers of the 1600's and 1700's from England and Germany, the Clises and the Woodens, who moved to Upstate New York in the latter 1700's. She was the valedictorian graduate of Geneva High School, '47, received her bachelor of science in Art Education from Buffalo State University, '51, and a Masters of Art from Kean College, '76. She was an accomplished artist and art educator, serving the Edison, New Jersey School district for over 35 years. Ruth produced a large body of artwork over her lifetime, focusing on painting and ceramic art, but continually immersing herself in new media and technique. After a few commissions for Op Art inspired paintings, Ruth, early on, joined the studio and domestic ceramic art movements. She was part of the raku renaissance, and she favored porcelain as a medium for projecting light and patterns of the natural world. She also combined porcelain with cast silver in jewelry-making. Ruth drew on the rich history of fabric arts, including batiking, applying historically woman-centered skills and techniques in new ways to canvas. And it was the beloved woods and Gem Lake on the farm and the animals -- wild and domestic -- that endlessly fed her creative vision. Despite crippling arthritis in her hands, she continued painting until the very end. Ruth was devoted to her family, the farm and her students. She was generous and kind to friends and strangers alike. Ruth is survived by her sister Janice Gleason of Denver, Colorado; daughters, Debora (Patrick) Lloyd and Christine (David) Lloyd both of British Columbia, Canada; Roberta (David) Oese-Siegel-Weiss of Waterloo, NY and son James (Lorraine) Oese of Rio Rancho, New Mexico; grandchildren Auryan Archibald (Lisa) Thierman, Cassandra Drea Lloyd, Zachary (Kim) Lloyd, Emory Oese-Siegel, Mirel (Sarah) Oese-Siegel, Marshall Lloyd, Clayton (Jennifer) Lloyd and Geneva Lloyd. She is survived by seven great-grandchildren: Brody and Madeleine Thierman, Ella and Magnus Lloyd, Adelynn and Oakley Oese-Siegel and Arlen Lloyd. She is also survived by several nieces: Veronica (Steven) Gindes, Melinda (Bart) Sperry, Shirley (Toby) Benoit, Rita (Ken) Cook and nephews: Thomas Gleason, Stephen and Gary Robson and Jim (Mary) Clise; cousins Lee, Molly and Linda Newell, Arthur and Billy Patrick, Martha Patrick Newland and close family friends, Frederick and Patty Siegel, Susanne McNally and Mary Stepash. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert M. Oese, five brothers, Vernon, Arthur, John, Richard and Charles Clise, sister Agnes Robson, niece, Carolyn Robson and son-in-law, Monte Lloyd. Charitable donations may be given and acts of kindness performed in Ruth's name to a charity of one's choice,