Bob grew up around the Salem, Oregon area. Mostly in the small town of Dallas located about 15 miles West of Salem. His father worked in the timber industry, both logging and sawmills. Bob attended school in a one-room school house for the first 8 grades and then attended Salem Academy in West Salem. He then went to Los Angeles to attend Los Angeles Pacific College, a 2-year college now part of Azusa Pacific College.
Bob is one of those fellows who have had many career changes throughout his working life. At the end of the 2nd year in college he took on a partnership in a two man saw mill. After 6 weeks he figured out he wasn’t making enough money to buy gas to drive to work and gave that up. Next he gave the construction trade a go while building a house in Salem. When that ended he couldn’t find another job and with no money to attend school he joined the Coast Guard. He was immediately shipped to Alameda, California, for his basic training. Next it was San Diego for 4 months of Dental Tech training. He came right back to Government Island in Alameda where he spent the remaining time of his 4 year enlistment ending in 1959. So much for join the Coast Guard and see the world.
Next it was Highland Hospital in Oakland, where he trained for 2 years and worked for 4 more years as an x-ray technician. It was 1965 that another career change came along. A friend suggested that he could get a job as a tool and die maker where he was working. Bob had always thought that this was more along the line of work he really wanted. He took a machine shop class at Oakland Tech and then went to Laney College. At this same time he was offered a job in a machine shop and with a lot of hard work within 11 months, became a full Journeyman Tool and Die Maker. Within 21 months he was in charge of the Die Shop.
It was while he was the die shop supervisor that Remo Buti hired in as an apprentice. It was during this time that Bob introduced Remo to CHVA and took him on several tours. It was then a Redwood Region member sold Remo a ’47 Buick Roadmaster which Remo turned into a show winner.
Bob and Ruth met on a bus while riding back to Oakland and Alameda. She was in nurse’s training at Highland Hospital and he was still in basic training. By the way Ruth went to work at Highland and spent her entire career there. Bob was in a training group that excelled and for that reason they were given weekend passes. This allowed Bob and Ruth to date a few times before he went to San Diego. They kept in touch and were married August 24, 1957. They have two daughters who each have a son and daughter.
Growing up, Ruth was a Rainbow Girl and was also very involved in 4-H clubs, participating in Cooking, Sewing, and also raising a dog for Guide Dogs for the Blind. She was an All-Star at the end of her time in 4-H. In 1970, she started what was believed to be the first 4-H club in Oakland so that her daughter could be involved. She was also PTA President for Glenview School in Oakland. In 1971, when they moved to Danville, Ruth became very involved with 4-H in the area, becoming a leader in sewing and cooking clubs and also an officer at the county level. She also served as Camp Nurse for 4-H Camps, in both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, a number of times.
While in 4-H, the two daughters followed in mother’s footsteps and raised Guide Dogs, raising 16 in all. Both girls also became All-Stars in 4-H. As a side note, the youngest daughter’s son raised two Guide Dogs to make it a three generation legacy.
By now it is 1977 and Remo has gone into a partnership with the original employer, Paul Edlund, where they met. Bob joined them as the third partner, with one more partner to join later. Bob stayed there for 6 years, before taking a position with another firm where he was involved with research and development as well as running the tool & die shop.
In 1991 they packed up and moved to Ruth’s hometown of Gridley, California, which is 30 miles south of Chico. Bob worked for a shop in Chico for 6 years before starting to collect Social Security, and then officially started his retirement in 1999. The property they bought has a six-car garage and that gives Bob room for the cars and a small shop. Ruth has room for her sewing activity; she has as much sewing equipment as he has equipment for cars according to him. If you were lucky enough to do the National Oregon Tour you will remember that Ruth made the fancy bags used to hold the tour materials.
Bob has had a lifelong love of cars. As a child he would identify each car on the road. His first car was a ’35 Chevy, but the second one was a ‘38 Buick and that started his lifelong love affair with Buicks. Oh he has owned a couple of DeSoto’s and a string of other cars, including Chevrolet Corvairs, but Buick has always been the one. He currently has three ‘38 Buick project cars, the convertible, the Woody Station Wagon, and the Brewster Town Car. He says that his all time favorite car that he can afford to own is the Town Car.
Bob started doing amateur restoration work and painted a few cars while he was working as a x-ray tech. He has always been a hands-on car guy, although he gets the experts to do serious work.
For those who are familiar with his ’51 DeSoto wagon and knew about it getting smashed while on the 2005 National Tour, you will be pleased to know that it is all fixed and last August it took 1st in class at a car show in Willows, California.
His youngest daughter has enjoyed participating with him in car events and was Field Chairman at Silverado Concourse at age 19. One of his project cars is a ’59 Hillman Minx Convertible that he started fixing for her to take to college, now it is going go to college with her son. He is enthused about the Hillman so perhaps he will get involved in the hobby.
With his long history in CHVA Bob has lead 3 National Tours and has been on 24 of them. He has always liked CHVA because of the inclusion of all makes. He doesn’t restrict activity to just CHVA either, he is a dues paying member of 7 other car clubs, plus being a member of 3 CHVA regions. Car clubs do not take up all of his time because he is a Past District Governor of the Lions Club, and is currently President of the Gridley Chamber of Commerce. If that is not enough he is also President of the Sons of the American Revolution chapter in Chico.
While Ruth refuses to join the Lions Club, she has been very supportive of Bob, especially his two years as Vice District Governor and District Governor. They spent many days and nights doing visitations to clubs, but fortunately had to eat very little rubber chicken. Ruth and Bob both enjoyed the two-years immensely.
In addition to founding the Redwood Region in 1971, he was the first Director serving through 1977. He is also a Past President of CHVA and served more than 15 years on the national board. The Redwood Region is what it is today because of the efforts of people like Bob and Ruth Trueax.
Bob and Ruth Trueax
Published in AAN March-April, 2007
