(AGENPARL) – STANFORD (CA) gio 20 aprile 2023

This tribute was written by classmate Debbie Coogan.

Ruth Rothmeyer Modisette was noticed wherever she went. At Stanford Law School, it was her convertible, her elegant attire and gorgeously coiffed hair, her great intelligence, her serious, dedicated pursuit of the law, and her wonderful sense of humor.

Ruth was born on June 21, 1946 in Illinois but she was raised in California and was a California girl to her core. Ruth attended Vassar College, graduating with a B.A. in 1968, and she was a member of the Class of 1971 at Stanford Law School, graduating in the spring, 1971.

Ruth spent the bulk of her legal career at Pillsbury Madison & Sutro (now Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman). Ruth was based in Pillsbury’s Los Angeles office and became a partner of the law firm. Ruth had a general civil and litigation practice, and she specialized in the areas of banking and corporate finance, and commercial transactions, including corporate and university bonds.

Shortly after beginning at Pillsbury, Ruth married James (Jim) P. Modisette. Jim was a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of California Hastings School of Law. They had a son, JM (also James Modisette), and the family lived in Los Angeles for many years. In 1997, they moved to Penobscot, Maine.

Ruth continued practicing law in Maine for a while but eventually took on the status of retired partner from Pillsbury. Jim was an avid sailor, and both Ruth and Jim were active participants in the Maine boating community. Jim died in October, 2012, and after a long struggle with health problems, Ruth died on August 5, 2019.

At the time of her death, Ruth was described as a “writer, runner, marketer, photographer, businesswoman, mother, reader, explorer, coach, public speaker … [and] advocate for kindness, leadership, creativity, and finding the beauty all around us.” Ruth was called “fierce, loving, loyal, wickedly funny, astoundingly accomplished, keenly wise and aware”. True to our memory of Ruth, a friend also commented on the funeral home website that:

• Ruth could command a room at will with no perceptible effort;
• Ruth was a clothes horse and jewel collector who had a very funny sarcastic wit; and
• Ruth was private and protective, unendingly elegant, grand and refined at all of five foot nothing.

Not surprisingly, Ruth had a big impact on all those who were lucky enough to know her.

Fonte/Source: https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-lawyer/articles/ruth-rothmeyer-modisette-jd-71-1946-2019/