The Truth About Ruta Lee's Marriage

Now in her late 80s, Ruta Lee has lived long enough to see her impact in the world materialized. The only child of Lithuanian immigrants, the veteran actor and dancer, who has appeared in classic films like "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and TV series like "The Twilight Zone," is most proud of her decades-long social work with the Thalians, which helps raise funds for mental health causes, she told Closer Weekly in June. She echoed the sentiment in an April interview with Palm Springs Life. "I have a career, but my real business, I think, has been raising funds for mental health through the Thalians," she said.

Lee's good deeds haven't just revolved around philanthropy with the Thalians, a charity she started some 60 years ago, according to the website Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Lee also rescued a family member from a Soviet prison. As the Hartford Courant detailed, Lee was at the height of her career in 1964, but she couldn't relish her accomplishments knowing her grandmother, Ludvise Kamandulis, had been in an internment camp in Siberia for 15 years. Using her network of contacts and aided by alcohol, Lee reached then-Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Just 48 hours later, Lee and her parents jetted off to Lithuania to begin the saga that retrieving Kamandulis proved to be.

But that was no issue for Lee. When the entertainer commits, she commits. Her nearly 45-year marriage to Webb Lowe proves how loyal Lee is to those she loves.

Ruta Lee met Webster "Webb" Lowe in the early 1970s when they both boarded the same jetliner in Miami headed for Dallas, Lee said to Lifestyle Magazine. The two were married in February 1976, after dating for two years, as Lee explained on Facebook. Lowe was a restaurant executive from Texas with no ties whatsoever to the entertainment industry, a feature he believed helped make his and Lee's relationship work. "One is enough," he told Mad About Marriage in 2012, adding that he is incredibly proud of his wife's work as an entertainer. "I'm delighted to see her in front of the camera," he added. While Lowe moved to Hollywood upon marrying Lee, the two also had homes in Texas, Palm Springs, and Manzanillo, Mexico, per Canyon News.

Lee and Lowe also had complementary personalities. Lee is high energy, inpatient and extroverted, whereas Lowe was calm, grounded, and observant. "I think his patience is one of the attributes that make our marriage work well," Lee told Mad About Marriage, adding that Lowe often helped Lee notice her shy fans, who would sometimes be pushed aside by the more energetic ones. 

With her characteristic humor, Lee joked that the only aspect of Lowe that annoyed her was that he was "so slow." Lowe, on the other hand, found nothing to complain about his wife. "I look at our marriage as a sailing vessel. She's the sails. I'm the rudder underneath the ship." Kleenex, anyone?

On February 14, 2020, Lee took to her Facebook to share a post in honor of their 44th anniversary. "Today and everyday is special with this wonderful man," Lee captioned the post, which included a photo of themselves with wine glasses replicating a wedding portrait, seen behind them. That would be the last anniversary they ever celebrated together. As the Canyon News reported, Lowe died on July 1, 2020 "with his soulmate" by his side. He was 88. "When he died, all I could do is look back with a smile. I had 46 glorious years without a fight. He was a gentle, loving soul with a wonderful heart," Lee told Closer Weekly in June.

In the interview, Lee explained that her husband had been suffering from dementia for some time. "Every few months I'd see him slipping away more," Lee said. In addition to dementia, Lowe also suffered a debilitating stroke, prompting Lee to act as his caregiver. Speaking with Lifestyle Magazine, Lee opened up about having to be the rock when Lowe had always been the one who "kept the ship steady." "It has been such a test of patience," she said.

Lowe, who joined Lee on the program toward the end, said it is important to accept things for what they are. "Even if it's not exactly what I wanted or how I wanted it, you know, just keep on the course," he said.