Ruth Elizabeth Waite
1926-2021
Waite – Ruth was born in Hebron,
PEI daughter to Webster Mugridge and Loretta (nee MacLean) (Mugridge)
Molyneaux. Left to mourn are son Roger Waite (Mary Anne) Bedford NS,
daughter Shelley Prendergast (John) Fredericton NB, sisters Donna
Morrisey (Tony) and Charmaine Turner (Brian) of Belmont, NS, sisters
in law Agnes Mugridge, Betty Lyle and Evelyn Waite of Summerside.
Grandchildren Kyle Bernard (Sheila), Bryeanne Steele (Scott), Andrew
Waite (Amber), Katie Waite, Duncan Prendergast and Shea Prendergast,
great grandchildren Colton, Wyatt and Koryn Steele and Ronson Waite.
As the last remaining member of her immediate family Ruth was
predeceased by Erskine Waite (former husband and father of her
children), daughter Barb Waite McKinnon, sisters Mary and Debbie,
brothers Vance and Les, infant granddaughters Megan and Genaya and
numerous nieces, nephews and in laws. Ruth loved PEI and Anne Shirley
couldn’t hold a candle to Mom in that regard. Moving away
from the Island was an option mom would never entertain. Ruth was a
member of Trinity United Church in Summerside for most of her adult
life. She had several roles there over the years as a Sunday
School Teacher, Church Elder and UCW Life Member. She was also
involved in the band parent support group for the Summerside Legion
Band. Ruth, besides raising her three children extremely well, worked
her adult life in many other capacities. Victory Cleaners,
Holman’sDepartment Store, Esso Oil plant office manager
through several agents, manager Blue Spruce Cottages in Victoria,
cleaning houses as the final job she eventually retired from to name
several. Not everyone comes armed with a toothbrush and paring knife
in their cleaning tool box but mom sure did! Mom was a force of nature
and we used to tell her doctor of the day Dr. Moyse that trying to get
her to do something she didn’t want to do was like trying to
hold back the tide! She was fiercely independent and always
worked as hard as a pack horse with any job she took on! If she went
to bed at 2 am for some reason she was still up by 6 am and working no
matter what! She obtained her GED on own in her 70s just because she
wanted it as schooling in her childhood only went to grade 10! She
helped shingle more than one roof in her day, loved camping, usually
had laundry on the line by sunrise, loved flowers as some may
remember at «her little house on Harvard St»,
always did maintenance on her own home including taking an electrical
course in the late 70s at night school and installing her own light
switches. She was certainly an amazing female role model! Above all
else Ruth LOVED her family! She always had picnics or barbecues
organized when children or grandchildren visited. Her potato salad,
beef stew, cranberry Xmas pudding and gravy were some of her most
loved signature dishes with the family! She LOVED having her
kids and grandkids visit but also took many bus trips over the years
to visit them as well! Mom lived independently until she was 92, not
that she should have been alone that long but that was the
«holding back the tide» thing again! She moved to
Andrew’s Lodge in December 2018 to their assisted living
area. Her early days there were happy and she loved socializing with
staff and residents. Over the next two years her health and
mobility started to decline. Like so many people the world over,
cursed Covid and its restrictions certainly took a huge toll on her
health and wellbeing. Mom was very well cared for by
Andrew’s Lodge staff and we cannot thank them and Dr. John
Morash enough for their kind, professional and exemplary care of Mom
during her time there! Dr Morash was outstanding in his care and
thoughtful attention to mom which brought great comfort to us, her
children who lived off Island. Having been able to visit her more and
see her for ourselves would have been so much better and comforting
and we will forever feel robbed by Covid for having had to miss so
many days with her. To that end a very special thank you needs to go
out to her grandson Kyle Bernard and his wife Sheila and to Evelyn
Waite her sister in law for their many, many visits to Mom as her
partners in care. Their many kindnesses to her and updates to family
after their visits was much appreciated. In addition many thanks must
also be given to her granddaughter Brye Steele for her many designated
guest visits and to those who made regular phone calls to her over the
years. Roger and Shelley each last saw mom in November 2020 just prior
to our Atlantic bubble bursting. Having that time apart was difficult
and the last several weeks of her life as her decline spiralled,
having been able to see her for ourselves would have certainly been
preferable. We were very lucky to have had the opportunity we did in
Mom’s last couple of days to have been able to be there with
her, though still with Covid restrictions in place. Dr. Morash and the
nursing and support staff at Andrew’s Lodge could not have
been kinder, more efficient or more caring in the comfort care
provided to Mom in her last days on earth. Mom leaves behind an
un-fillable void in all our lives but as her last days were full of
pain none of us could wish her back to that. It is to be hoped her
notoriety as «the Cake Lady» for the Summerside Police
Department (who she admired and respected so much) for all those Xmas
cakes that started in 1984 continues for a few years to come! Resting
at Moase Funeral Home, Summerside. A private family funeral
to be held at Trinity United Church by invitation only due to Covid
restrictions. Cremation has already been completed and internment will
follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. Forever loved and missed.
Memorial donations to the Trinity United Church Choir or the Prince
County Hospital Foundation would be appreciated.
www.moase.ca
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19262021
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Ruth Elizabeth Waite 19262021..
Décès pour la Ville: Summerside, Province: I-P-E