Lorene Ruymar (Petersen)

Brian McGibney · Post by **Brian McGibney** » 9 Jun 2020 2:13 pm

The mother of my first wife ,Lorene Ruymar, passed this morning in Vancouver Canada. Well known player, educator and historian, Lorene made a significant impact to the North American steel guitar community. She will be greatly missed.

Brian McGibney

Jim R. Harrison · Post by **Jim R. Harrison** » 9 Jun 2020 5:35 pm

Lorene was a good friend of mine. As Brian indicated, she certainly did make "a significant impact to the North American steel guitar community. She will be greatly missed."

Lorene was awarded the Jerry Byrd Lifetime Achievement Award at Scotty's ISGC in 2009. See following photos.

My condolences to all Lorene's family, especially to her husband Art. Sincerely, Jim Harrison

Brian McGibney · Post by **Brian McGibney** » 9 Jun 2020 5:39 pm

Thanks Jim.

Any other material you have would be greatly appreciated

Brian

Nic Neufeld · Post by **Nic Neufeld** » 9 Jun 2020 6:00 pm

I'm too new to the community to have any further knowledge but I bought her book last year (https://www.amazon.com/Hawaiian-Steel-G ... 1574240218) and have pored over it many, many times. My condolences as well!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 9 Jun 2020 6:02 pm

Very sorry to read this. She was a colossal figure in the Hawaiian steel guitar world as an ambassador, historian and academic. She will be missed even by those of us who never had the pleasure to meet her.

Chuck S. Lettes · Post by **Chuck S. Lettes** » 10 Jun 2020 4:57 am

Sorry to hear this news. Lorene was a great friend to the steel guitar community, and I will miss her.
Chuck

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 10 Jun 2020 7:35 am

My gosh, that's very sad news. While I've never met Lorene personally, I feel as though I've known her and husband Art for many years through our active correspondence. Lorene really made her mark on the Hawaiian steel guitar in many ways, all very interesting. Life is so fragile. On behalf of my wife Faye, I send condolences to Art and the family.
George

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 10 Jun 2020 6:03 pm

Sad news. I met Lorene at Scotty's one year. She was a very gracious lady, amd a terrific Hawaiian steel player.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 10 Jun 2020 7:00 pm

My condolences to her family and friends. Her book on the Hawaiian guitar is a great resource.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 11 Jun 2020 8:13 am

A wonderful educator and ambassador of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar.....RIP Lorene Ruymar.....

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 11 Jun 2020 1:09 pm

Godspeed Lorene.

A marked influence on the history of steel.

Sorry for your family's loss Brian.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 11 Jun 2020 2:59 pm

The Hawaiian Steel Guitar Family has lost a valued member. I can attest that Lorene was one of the major players in organizing the Hawaiian Steel Guitar community. She founded the Hawaii Steel Guitar Assn and was its first president. She was a friend for over 30 years. I will miss her.

Al Brisco · Post by **Al Brisco** » 11 Jun 2020 4:00 pm

Yes, my condolences regarding Lorene. She was a good friend of the steel guitar world. We conversed on many occasion, I sold her instruction courses, etc.
I never heard an unkind word about her.
Regards to her friends & family.
Al Brisco
Steel Guitars of Canada.

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 12 Jun 2020 6:23 am

I met Lorene 20 years ago when I attended my first HSGA festival in Joliet IL. I had her book and took it with me - she was so nice to talk to me and sign her book. She had a huge passion for Hawaiian steel and worked hard on events and programs to showcase the music, and get more young people interested in steel - especially in Hawaii. Often spending her own money to buy guitars and lessons for kids.. As years went by I always made time to talk to her at festivals and eventually I was on the board of HSGA and got to work with her for a short time. I have missed seeing her and Art. RIP Lorene - you made a difference.

Lee Holliday · Post by **Lee Holliday** » 12 Jun 2020 8:08 am

I have a signed copy of Lorene's book which is a treasured point of reference, sorry to hear of her passing but she lives on in the hearts of the steel community.

Lee

Wally Pfeifer · Post by **Wally Pfeifer** » 12 Jun 2020 3:23 pm

Sorry to hear that our good friend,-Lorene,- has passed. We have been friends since the first time her and Art came to the Joliet HSGA convention. We also spent lots of time in Hawaii together, especially in Maui. If you've never heard her play "Yellow Bird" on her steel.-you sure missed out. You all probably know that she was instrumental in getting the Joseph Kekuku statue at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

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Aloha Lorene and RIP.
Wally & Peg

Mark Durante · Post by **Mark Durante** » 14 Jun 2020 1:56 am

I bought her book and talked to her at one of the Joliet shows, she was a wonderful woman full of knowledge and will be missed. She was concerned about one small error of a date or something in the book but of course it's a great read and reference work.

Robert Padwick · Post by **Robert Padwick** » 15 Jun 2020 8:35 pm

I met Lorene and Art a handful of times. The first time was to pick up a copy of her instructional manual at the Jade Rabbit restaurant, now shut a number of years, where a few steel players would meet to jam a bit, and celebrate Birthdays.

After a bit of time practicing, I stopped by their house once to demonstrate my new-found skills (they survived through the ordeal). Lorene had infectious enthusiasm for the steel guitar, and both her and Art were very welcoming and helpful as I got going. Last week I started flipping through her manual and picked Yellow Bird for something I had not tried before...

RIP Lorene, and condolences to Art and the family. Thanks for the music, and thank you for helping some stranger get going on the steel.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 18 Jun 2020 12:30 pm

A huge loss to the Hawaiian steel guitar community. She will be missed.

Jon Zimmerman · Post by **Jon Zimmerman** » 25 Jun 2020 10:14 am

Our small enthusiast community collective suffers yet another tragic loss, The level of the resources in the well she tapped for everyone, drops yet again. My deep and sincere condolences to all family and friends she influenced. A beloved mentor gone to her maker.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 25 Jun 2020 11:50 am

I value many wonderful memories of our times together at the Hawaiian Steel Conventions in Hawaii and Joliet. She made so many wonderful contributions to the Steel Guitar Community.

Lorene's photo and obituary here:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/there ... =196358680

In Loving Memory of Lorene Lillian Ruymar, April 6, 1931 to June 9, 2020. Died in her sleep after a prolonged struggle with Dementia. She is survived by her second husband, Arthur; children, Katheryn and Bill; step-son, Ron; grandchildren, James, Kelsey, Julien, and Brian; and step-grandchildren, Denise and Michelle.

She worked as a music teacher in the Vancouver public school system, was strongly involved with her church, and was an advocate for Hawaiian steel guitar music. She was gifted with the title of "Honorary Hawaiian" for her book that chronicled the development of the Hawaiian steel guitar.

Lorene always enjoyed a good party with homemade music and friends.

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