Ruth Hayward (born July 29, 1934), is an engineer, sculptor, and philanthropist. She is also known for her sculptures of public figures in San Diego. A lifelong resident of San Diego, in 1987 she was honored with a Tribute to Women & Industry (TWIN) award by the YWCA for her work as an engineer at General Dynamics/Electronics and as a volunteer at Rachel's Women's Center for the homeless.

Engineer

Hayward became an engineer in the 1960s while working for

General Dynamics General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded, aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales, and 5th largest in the Uni ...

. At that time, very few women entered the field. During her 38 years at

she was involved in a project that located radio emitters to aid in pinpointing enemy locations. The high point of her career involved work on underground detection of explosives, work that probably saved hundreds of lives.

Artist

After retiring from

Hayward studied sculpture with T.J. Dixon, specializing in the human form. The accuracy of her work reflects her engineering skills, and her love of photography and the human form. Four of her life-sized bronze works of influential San Diegans are displayed in San Diego's Balboa Park. "Founders' Plaza" in the park contains her full size sculptures of George Marston 1946), known as San Diego's first citizen, Ephraim Weed Morse (1823–1906), and

Alonzo Horton Alonzo Eratus Horton (October 24, 1813 – January 7, 1909) was an American real estate developer in the nineteenth century. The Horton Plaza mall in downtown San Diego is named for him. Early life Horton was born 1813 in Union, Connecticut, ...

(1813–1909), "Father of San Diego". Hayward's sculpture of the "Mother of San Diego," botanist, horticulturist and landscape architect

Kate Sessions Katherine Olivia "Kate" Sessions (November 8, 1857 – March 24, 1940) was an American botanist, horticulturalist, and landscape architect closely associated with San Diego, California, and known as the "Mother of Balboa Park." Other public sculptures in San Diego by Hayward include a bust of Ellen Browning-Scripps at Scripps Green Hospital, a bust of

Lily Tomlin Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the vari ...

at Rachel's Women's Center in downtown San Diego, a bronze bust at the Timken Gallery, Balboa Park of its Founding Director Walter Ames, and a bust of Margaret Sellers, at the U.S. Postal Service's Margaret L. Sellers Processing and Distribution Center, on Rancho Carmel Road. Privately held works include a bas-relief of the

San Diego Opera The San Diego Opera Association (SDO) is a professional opera company located in the city of San Diego, California. It incorporated in 1965, presenting operas under the name of the San Diego Opera. Hayward's wildlife and nature photographs have been used by the San Diego River Conservancy and other local organizations. She has traveled to all seven continents and takes photographs wherever she goes. Ruth Hayward was honored by the

La Jolla La Jolla ( , ) is a hilly, seaside neighborhood within the city of San Diego, California, United States, occupying of curving coastline along the Pacific Ocean. The population reported in the 2010 census was 46,781. La Jolla is surrounded on ...

Historical Society on September 15, 2011, for her work as an artist, and for the donation of her bust of Ellen Browning Scripps

The San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild acknowledged Hayward's art by choosing her as one of 100 extraordinary San Diego artists in its Centennial Project. Her work was part of an exhibit at the

Oceanside Museum of Art Oceanside Museum of Art is a fine arts museum located at 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside, California in northern San Diego County, California. The museum began holding exhibits in 1995, with a dedicated facility opening on October 6, 1997. It is house ...

entitled "100 Artists 100 Years" April 18 – July 26, 2015.,

Philanthropy and charity work

Hayward supports San Diego charities, including City Beautiful of San Diego, the

San Diego River Park Foundation The San Diego River Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public-benefit corporation that aims to create a continuous green belt (park) along the 52 mile long San Diego River. Mission statement The mission of the San Diego River Park Foundation is to im ...

and the

San Diego Opera The San Diego Opera Association (SDO) is a professional opera company located in the city of San Diego, California. It incorporated in 1965, presenting operas under the name of the San Diego Opera.Rachael's Women's Center, a women's homeless shelter, of which she was a founding member. She is the past president of Project Wildlife, a San Diego group which rehabilitates injured mammals and birds.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayward, Ruth 1934 births Artists from San Diego Engineers from California American women engineers American women sculptors American philanthropists Living people People from Chula Vista, California Sculptors from California 21st-century American women photographers 21st-century American photographers