Lesse, Ruth

Ruth Lesse was an unhappy woman whose life was largely ruined by quarreling (later divorced) parents- parents who left much of her younger brother Howard's care to Ruth. In high school, she also babysat a young Billie and Walky; in fact, she gave Walky his nickname. After reaching college, drained by her troubles, she sunk into a depressive cycle of nihilism and drinking. Somehow, however, Ruth managed to continue into graduate school. Renting a house with Billie, Ron and Carly, they wasted their evenings away by getting drunk. Billie and Ruth even wound up in a brief pseudo-relationship, drawn together by their troubles.

After Howard entered college, Ruth met Danny, and the pair became friends. However, Ruth's dark outlook began to rub off on Danny (just as it had on Billie previously). Finally, Danny tried to drive home drunk one night, forcing Ruth to sacrifice her life to save him from a car crash. Finally doing what was unequivocably right, she died with "no regrets."

When last seen, Ruth's spirit was in a strange purgatory with those of slain members of SEMME.