Nurse, Ruth Erva
Ruth Nurse died on Saturday, September 11, 2021. Her husband, Elmer, passed away in 2011.
Ruth is survived by her three children Sean, Jill and Brent, and their partners Tineke, Rob and Eleanor.
She was born Ruth Erva Chamberlin at the family farm in Poltimore, Quebec on April 14, 1941 to Alma and Arthur Chamberlin. Ruth was number four in a family of five sisters: Vivian Dewar, Muriel Cowan Reen, Marilyn Charron and Linda Robar. There were grandparents, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins in the area, and family life was always central to Ruth. As long as the farm was active, there was always a time spent there in the summer to help with the haying.
After she left the family farm, she made her way to the Certified Nursing Assistant Program at St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Brockville, Ontario. She graduated in 1959. While there she made many friends, including her lifelong friend Mary Jane Ward, who became Auntie Jane Revell to Ruth’s kids and led to a second generation of friendships amongst their kids. Jane was a daily visitor in the last few days of Ruth’s life. She came and reminisced about their friendship including the fifty-plus years they spent gathering with the other “No Meeting Girls” the last Thursday of every month.
After graduation, Ruth moved to Kingston and worked at the Hotel Dieu Hospital on the Surgical floor. She was later an Office Assistant for Dr. Mike Simurda where she worked with another lifelong and dear friend, Shirley Jackson. It’s easy to imagine that Shirley and Ruth are together now sharing a laugh, a glass of wine and a smoke.
Ruth decided that she wanted to upgrade her nursing skills and started by attending KCVI to get her Ontario High School Diploma, often bringing a young Brent along. She then followed that with two years at St. Lawrence College to earn her Registered Nurse diploma. She even returned to St. Lawrence later to teach clinical nursing for a few semesters.
As an RN she worked at Kingston General Hospital on Connell 9 North and then moved to the Renal Unit, from where she retired in early 2000. She never lost her connection to her colleagues and they met regularly for their “Dinosaur Lunches”.
Ruth was always an active member of the Zion United Church and especially with the UCW (United Church Women), helping in many ways to support their small congregation and serving as president and treasurer over the years. She could be counted on to help in the kitchen after services, provide a meal to those in need, and offer rides to church. She was an organizer and contributor to the annual Tea and Sale. Ruth’s family generally only ate burnt cookies, as the nice ones were “for the tea and sale, don’t touch!”
She had her first date with a skinny Catholic boy named Elmer Nurse at the British American Hotel in Kingston, Ontario. She wasn’t happy because they only served beer. The date must have gone well though, because they were married in 1962 and had their first child, Sean, in 1964. Jill arrived in 1967 and Brent was a later addition in 1974. Ruth and Elmer created a warm home and dependable base for their family. Elmer had one sister, Patricia Hill, and the two families spent lots of time together which continues to this day.
Ruth and Elmer were charming hosts and opened up their home to all. Ruth would always greet guests with, “What can I get you? Coffee, tea, wine, beer, lemonade in a dirty glass?” There were years of raucous Hill-Nurse family Christmas parties, holiday dinners where Ruth made sure to find extra guests who might not have family nearby, spontaneous brunches for the Queen’s students she knew, or an extra bed for anyone who might need it. She hosted many baby and bridal showers, birthday parties, and even Brent’s wedding took place in the backyard.
Ruth loved to travel. She enjoyed time spent in Florida with Sean and Tineke and the boys, a magical trip to the NWT to visit her grand-niece Ashley, a month in Thailand with Elmer to visit Jill, and more recently a cruise across the Atlantic. She was also just as happy to go on a Sunday drive with Elmer or take one of their “Old Fart Bus Trips” to a play in Toronto.
Ruth’s true joy started in 1999 with the birth of her first grandchild, Erik. He was followed by Willem, Sidney, Ben, Charlotte, Martin and Clara. She doted on all of them and even conceded to smoke outside when they were babies. She babysat as much as she could and happily attended their games and recitals. She appeared to give up on nutrition with her grandchildren, and the cookie jar was always full when they arrived. She was notorious, and popular, for spraying Rediwhip directly into their mouths. Who wouldn’t love a grandma like that?
Ruth/Ruthie/Mom/Grandma/Poppy will be deeply missed by her family and friends. She was our anchor.
Family to receive friends at the Wartman Funeral Home – Kingston Chapel on Friday, September 24, 2021 from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. ( no RSVP required). Funeral Service to be held in the chapel on Saturday, September 25, 2021 at 11 a.m.. Attendance is limited for the funeral service, please RSVP online under the service details using the blue RSVP button, you may also call the funeral home to book a time: 613-634-3722 or by email: info@wfhs.ca. As per provincial health regulations masks and social distancing are mandatory. Proof of full vaccination is required by all guests to enter the funeral home.
Donations to Zion United Church or a charity of choice is appreciated. Online condolences may be made through wartmanfuneralhomes.com
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Saturday September 11th 2021
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Ruth Erva Nurse Chamberlin Saturday September 11th 2021..
Décès pour la Ville:Kingston, Province: Ontario