Ruth Lynette (Hill) Stanley, ONB, BA, BCL, LLD, DCLJ, MMLJ, FRSA
1922-2017
Passed away Feb. 15, 2017 (National Flag
of Canada Day), in Sackville, NB. Born June 28, 1922, Montreal,
PQ. Daughter of Alfred H. Hill and Nellie Gertrude (Crane)
Hill. Predeceased by her husband, the Hon. George F.G. Stanley
(Lieutenant-Governer, NB 1982-87, and designer of the Canadian Maple
Leaf Flag), her daughter Marietta R.E. Stanley, and her brothers Dr.
A.E. Hill and Ken Hill. She is survived by her daughters Dr. Della
M.M. Stanley (Hon. Thomas Cromwell) Ottawa, Dr. Laurie C.C.
Stanley-Blackwell (John Blackwell) Antigonish, and by
grandchildren, Tom E.G.S. Cromwell (St. John’s, NL) and
Ruthie L.H.Q. Stanley-Blackwell (Antigonish, NS), and several nieces
and nephews.
Ruth received her BA (Hons. Sociology)
in 1942 from McGill University and then entered the McGill Law School.
After receiving her BCL in 1945, graduating as the Gold Medalist, she
was admitted to the Bar of Montreal and accepted a position with the
Montreal law firm of Phelan, Fleet, Robertson and
Abbott.
In 1946, she married Lt.-Col. George
Stanley and after honeymooning in Baie St. Paul and Ile
d’Orleans, they moved to Vancouver, then Ottawa, then
Kingston, ON, and finally made their permanent home in Sackville, NB,
in 1969.
Over the years, Ruth was recognized for
her generosity of time and money to the communities in which she
lived, receiving the Order of New Brunswick in 2010, honorary degrees
from Mount Allison University and St. Thomas University, and the
Centennial Medal. She was a member of the Order of St. John, the Order
of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, and the Order of Joan of Arc (Brazil).
She was an honorary life member of the IODE (NB), Girl Guides of
Canada, Imperial Loyalists (NB), and United Empire Loyalists’
Association of Canada; honorary member of the Ex-Cadet Club RMC, NB
Craft Council, NB Teachers’ Federation, Kingston Historical Society,
and the Westmorland Historical Society. She was the first
female member of the Fredericton Garrison Club and the first woman to
head a hospital board in NB, chairing the Sackville Memorial Hospital
Board and ensuring the building of a new hospital and medical
centre. She served as Honorary President of the New
Brunswick Museum Board and was active on the Montreal Juvenile Court
Committee, Canadian Federation of University Women, Home Reading
Union, Elizabeth Fry Society, Glasfax, Once in Awhile Club, Sackville
Art Association, the Keilor House Museum, Sackville Music Association,
St. Paul’s Altar Guild, and St. Paul’s Bible Study
Group.
She was an essential part of her
husband’s writing career, often conducting research,
compiling the indexes and editing the texts.
She encouraged her daughters to pursue
whatever career they wanted regardless of gender, a message she passed
on to other young women during her tenure as wife of the Lieut.-Gov.
of NB in the 1980s. She often spoke on the changing roles of men and
women at home and in the workplace, women’s financial
concerns, and the richness of New Brunswick’s artistic
community. She was passionate about promoting artists and
craftspeople, and gave talks on her own personal interests, Canadian
glass and silver, Canadian folk music, English porcelain and Lady
Aberdeen.
Following the death of her husband in
2002, Ruth discovered the thrill of traveling, especially cruises,
traveling far afield from Thailand to Chile, from Egypt to Antarctica.
Highlights were the excavations at Petra, Jordan and the icebergs of
Antarctica. She lived a full and active life, and will be greatly
missed by her family, her many friends, especially those in Sackville,
long-time friend Lillian Cook, Dr. Cory Long and caregivers who were
so generous of their time and attention, Marguerite, Elizabeth, Angie,
Paulette, Alice, Jennifer, Sandy and Sheila.
Arrangements are under the care and
guidance of Jones Funeral Home, 70 Bridge
Street, Sackville, New Brunswick. Family and friends are
invited to pay their respects at a time of visitation from the funeral
home on Friday, February 24, 2017 from 2-4 and 6-8 pm. A
funeral service will be held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Sackville,
on Saturday, February 25, 2017 at 11 am. The Reverend Dr.
Ranall Ingalls presiding.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be
made to the Sackville Memorial Hospital Foundation, 8 Main St.
Sackville, NB, E4L 4A3
smhfoundation@horizonnb.ca
Sharing of memories and condolences may
be sent to the family by visiting Ruth’s online memorial at
www.jonesfuneralhome.ca or through the Jones Funeral Home Facebook
Page.

Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Ruth Lynette (Hill) Stanley ONB BA BCL LLD DCLJ MMLJ FRSA – 1922-2017.source

avis deces Ruth Lynette (Hill) Stanley ONB BA BCL LLD DCLJ MMLJ FRSA – 1922-2017- avis mortuaire Ruth Lynette (Hill) Stanley ONB BA BCL LLD DCLJ MMLJ FRSA – 1922-2017