Ruth slipped away quietly and peacefully to join her beloved Jack in the early morning of Saturday, October 15, 2022. We, her 4 children, Jennifer (Jack Thomas), Susan (David Fagan), James (Beth Tremblay) and Paul (Kim Restivo), 10 grandchildren and step-grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren will miss her unconditional love and support. She was predeceased by her brother Alec and her parents Alec George and Emily Margaret (Enkel).
Ruth was born and raised in Old Ottawa South, growing up next door to her Bounsall cousins. She was an accomplished pianist who met that special boy while she was playing as the accompanist for her future sister-in-law’s dance classes. Ruth was an adventurous young woman and gamely joined Jack in his favourite sport of downhill skiing, travelling with friends on ski trips around the Eastern Townships. Finding herself stuck, alone and heading back down the hill on a chairlift with the bar frozen down put a damper on those adventures for her.
After their marriage in 1950, Ruth headed off to Toronto with her new husband and as so many women did at that time, she worked so Jack could pursue his graduate degree at U of T. Back in Ottawa, Ruth continued her career, until motherhood became her chief occupation. She wrangled 4 children to adulthood somehow, all the while acting as Chief Financial Officer for the family and keeping Jack topped up with gravy, and nattily attired in hand-knitted socks. Ruth could knit with her eyes closed and produced many beautiful gifts for her children, grandchildren, and her numerous nieces and nephews. Family was important to her, and she faithfully maintained connections with her family near and far. At the age of 32, Ruth learned she had a birth family living in Ottawa. She embraced her new extended family with enthusiasm. She was predeceased by her birth brother Bud Corkran and their mother Bertha.
Ruth and Jack somehow maintained their sanity while they made multiple road trips across Canada and the United States with their 4 noisy, impatient children rolling around in the back of the station wagon, ultimately deciding to leave them at home while they travelled further afield to Europe and Japan.
Ruth loved the colour red, enjoyed reading the newspaper cover to cover every day, looked forward to a sherry at day’s end, and she made a mean Tuna Noodle Bake. We will miss all of her talents, smiles and especially her wonderful laugh.
The family would like to thank everyone who treated our Mom with kindness and respect, while they cared for her during these last years on R2S at the Perley. A special thank you to her personal sitter Ashley.
A service to celebrate Ruth’s life will be held at Beechwood, Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa, on Thursday October 27, 2022. Family and friends are invited to visit from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., with a service at 1:00 p.m. and interment to follow. Please wear a mask to keep everyone healthy.
In lieu of flowers donations to a charity of your choice would be appreciated.
Those that touch our lives, stay in our hearts forever, your parents are those kind of persons. Your mom was an amazing lady, her visit at the Saunders Building will always be special memories for me.