SAN CLEMENTEAN


tomers. He wanted to start his own retail busi- ness but knew he would probably be drafted into the Korean War within a few months. He decided to go to work for a brand new hard- ware store in Jamestown, North Dakota. The owners were just starting out and couldn’t af- ford to pay an employee. Jim really wanted the retail experience and agreed to work for $130 a month at the store. He stayed for about six months until he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served from 1951 to 1953 as an Artillery Officer. While he was serving, his parents decided


to retire to San Clemente. When he returned, he and Ruth came out to San Clemente for a Christmas visit. They originally had designs on moving to Northern California, up into what is now the Silicon Valley. The development cli- mate was already beginning to flourish and seemed to be a good environment for a new business. The spell of Southern California and San


Clemente was hard to break, however. Jim’s parents did not want them to leave so they arranged for him and Ruth to work at the tiny local hardware store called Builder’s Hardware and Paint Supply as a Christmas job. “Jim worked in the store and I did their ac-


counting on a part-time basis,” Ruth confides. “They were severely under-capitalized.”


City and Chamber leaders attend Jim & Ruth’s ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of DeNault’s Hardware Plaza on N. El Camino Real in 2002.


When Jim died, she decided to go back to college to finish her education. She not only earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, she went on to earn her Master’s degree there as well.


It wasn’t long before Ruth and Jim bought


out the original owners who were ready to retire and trust their business legacy to the young couple. They kept the original name from 1956


to 1964, until they moved it to a new, larger building across the street and named it San Clemente Hardware Company. Under their guidance, with Jim as President/CEO and Ruth as Secretary Treasurer, the tiny store grew and grew until they had to once again look for larger quarters. In 2001, they bought lots on the old highway (now El Camino Real) and De- Nault’s Hardware was born. It kept growing, largely in part to their wonderful customer serv- ice, and the store location finally ended up on


North El Camino, where it remains today. Ruth DeNault involvement with the com-


munity is legendary - especially with our beau- tiful Casa Romantica, home of the town’s


founder Ole Hanson. Originally asked to serve on the nominating committee for a Board of Director’s search, it soon became apparent to her and her three colleagues that they would have to serve as the first Board of Directors, since everyone they approached was already committed to other itineraries. Many years later, Ruth is still a proud member of that orig- inal board and is currently serving another term as President. As well as Ruth’s tireless work


in securing Casa Romantica’s pres- ent and future, she serves on seven different boards throughout Or- ange County and as far away as North Dakota. One of her fa- vorites is The Archeological Soci- ety in Orange County, where she is currently serving a term as Pres- ident. She is a founding director


of the Arts and Learning Conservatory for Children in Santa Ana. “This is an interactive program that fosters


social awareness and self confidence by teaching children an appreciation of the performing arts. It is available now in 30 Orange County Schools” she related. Ruth also serves on the board of Concordia


University Foundation, Irvine. When Jim died, she decided to go back to college to finish her


1966 Family portrait. front row: Tom, Don. Back row: Ruth, Steve, Bob, Jim.


education. She not only earned her Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, she went on to earn her Masters degree there as well. She still has strong ties to the Jamestown College Board of Trustees, where she and Jim originally attended college, and serves on its Board of Di- rectors. The Center for Lutheran Philosophy and


Thought and the Historical Society for Ger- man Heritage in Russia are two other philan- thropies that claim her attention. As for that first hardware store in North


50th anniversary picture from a celebration at El Adobe restaurant in 2000. Ruth and Jim with their sons; Bob, Steve, Don and Tom.


Dakota, Ruth’s mother’s family still owns and operates it. Family roots run deep.❂


SAN CLEMENTE JOURNAL 27


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