Perhaps the reporter made note of Ruthie’s tears because she had a reputation for being “sassy” and “tough.” Former customers remember her for her quick wit and independence. One customer told Tursi, “He tried to get served by Ruthie when he was underaged. She let him order, and pay, and then she told him to get out and kept his money.” Former Des Moines Register columnist George Mills was quoted after Ruthie’s death in 1993 saying, “If someone came to watch, and didn’t buy any beer, she’d say, ‘Put something on the bar besides your elbows.’”