Ruth Rickey and her husband Robert own Ruth’s Sweete Justice.  Ruth graduated from Henderson State University in Arkansas with a double major in Speech & Drama and English Education, with minors in Psychology and Business.  She graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and practiced law locally for about 10 years.  Ruth’s last position as an attorney was deciding unemployment appeals for the State of Oklahoma. 

 

During a hiatus from the State, Ruth took a job at an upscale grocery decorating cakes for fun for six months until it was time to return to the State.  Budget battles for the government ensued and she just kept designing cakes in the meantime.  It became clear that Ruth had a talent for decorating and for running a bakery.  She was named Bakery Manager and ran the bakery for the next several years.  In 1999, Ruth was named IGA’s Bakery Manager of the Year for 3200 stores in 31 countries.  She knew it was time to branch out on her own.

 

Ruth has been honored by being the subject of television, magazine and newspaper articles on her switch from law to cakes.  Her cakes have appeared in publications across the U.S., as well as overseas.  She has won well over 150 awards for decorating excellence at competitions across the U.S., including a Gold Medal in the National Wedding Competition at the Oklahoma State Sugar Art Show.  Numerous people flock to the Hobbies, Arts & Crafts building each year during the Oklahoma State Fair to see her entries there, where she has won Best of Show six times.

 

Ruth began as a self-taught decorator, then took the basic Wilton courses.  She has since studied with a veritable Who’s Who of sugar artists including:  Eleanor Rielander, Betty VanNorstrand, Margaret Braun, Alan Dunn, Steve Benison, Margaret Ford, Rosa Viacava de Ortega, Kim Morrison, Glenda Galvez and JoEllen Simon.   Ruth has demonstrated at numerous cake shows and events and is the instructor at the Oklahoma Sugar Art Academy.  First known for her comical hand modeled figures, Ruth is now widely recognized for her realistic gumpaste dolls, her numerous sugar painting techniques and her lifelike flowers. 

 

Ruth is happily married with an amazing step-son who attends college in Ohio.  She is also mother to 4 charming cats and 3 very large dogs. Ruth was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in March of 2001.  She is currently in full genetic remission thanks to a wonder drug called Gleevec.  Gleevec was discovered after a $500,000 grant from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training Program.  Ruth has been an active participant with TNT since 2005 and is working on her 5th and 6th marathons with them in October 2008.  You can read more about her next marathon journey at www.queensofcando.com.  You can find out about joining the nation's largest endurance sports team at www.teamintraining.org/ok.  Many of her customers have become participants and Ruth will be joining them this October in San Francisco.