Ruby Cavanaugh, cultural icon and namesake of Ruby's Diner, dies at 93
Business
Ruby Cavanaugh, cultural icon and namesake of Ruby’s Diner, dies at 93
Ruby Cavanaugh, the woman whose love for 1940s music and culture inspired her son to create a chain of diners in her name, has died. She was 93. A spokeswoman for the Ruby’s Diner restaurant chain said Cavanaugh died Sunday in Tustin, Calif., from natural causes.
Ruby was known for her quick smile, warm personality and inner strength.
Ruby’s Diner statement
Cavanaugh was born in Jefferson City, Mo., and moved with her family to California in 1936. She later met her husband, Doug Cavanaugh Sr., a U.S. Navy veteran who shared her love for swing music and dancing. Her son, Doug Cavanaugh Jr., returned to Southern California in 1980 after successfully restoring a restaurant in Cape Cod. He was out jogging when he noticed a dilapidated building and got the idea to turn it into a 1940s-themed diner. The first Ruby’s Diner opened in 1982 serving hot dogs, hamburgers and malts on Balboa Island. The restaurant had a red-and-white interior, 1940s memorabilia and photos of Ruby Cavanaugh.
