Ruth Eleanor Dow
1923-2018
HEAR YE. HEAR YE. HEAR YE. For those who have business here, please
lend us your ear.
It is with great sadness that our family announces the passing of Ruth
Eleanor Dow on Monday, October 22, 2018 at the QEII hospital in
Halifax.
The poet Auden said:
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
––––––
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For She Is Gone
What did or do you say when you speak your mother’s name? If
you would, please say it now. We say Mom or Mum or Mummy or Grandma
or Aunt Ruth. Her Dad called her Ruffie. Or sometimes just
“Mother!” Sometimes just Ruth.
Ruth loved to dress up for the occasion. Lots of colours and lots of
style. Ruth had a vivacious personality and an equally gentle spirit.
Good council for anyone who wanted. To talk. And even
sometimes–when you did not want. To talk. At all.
Please join us now as we open up Ruth’s storybook.
Ruth or RED, as she was known to many of her friends and family, was
born October 24, 1923 to her parents, Grace (Cole) and Claude Marney,
in Amherst, NS. She was the 5th of six children and was the last
remaining sibling in her family.
You’ve all heard the expression “a day of days”.
Well, for her, 1941 turned out to be a “year of years”.
Ruth graduated from Amherst High School and then from St. Charles
Vocational School in a secretarial course that year.
Later in 1941, her future husband Lawrence Dow (1917 – 2004), moved to
Amherst to take up a new wartime job. Ruth and Larry both worked at
Canada Car and Foundry where the company made Hurricane and Anson
airplanes during WWII. Ruth worked in the head office in
administration and Larry worked on the assembly line making wings.
Ruth married Larry Dow in Amherst (Amherst Baptist church) in 1946
right after the end of WWII. That same year they purchased a camp
property at Magaguadavic Lake with Mary and Ken Cox. Ruth lived in
Fredericton, NB from 1946 until 1949 while Larry finished his UNB
degree in Economics. Ruth worked for the Fredericton Tourist Board
at the Wilmont Park boutique for a time as well as for the local
government doing automobile registrations.
In 1949 she moved to Juniper, NB where Ruth met the life-long friend
of all her days to come. That would be one Betty Boyd. In 1951 Ruth
moved to Florenceville where she raised three children and then worked
27 years for the local school board as an Administrative Assistant in
Florenceville High School. Ruth and Larry back working together
again!
After Larry’s death in 2004, Ruth relocated to Riverside Court
in Woodstock in 2009 and moved again to The Berkeley in Halifax in
2015 where she resided until her passing.
The Berkeley became her new home where Ruth was a very active bridge
and Bingo player. She said more than once that she liked beating the
men at the bridge table. But, she went on, she really loved it best
when she trounced them good.
Ruth is survived by her three children Stephen (Denyse), Michael
(Beatrice) and Nancy (Joanne), grandchildren Peter (Carrie), Marianne
(Albert), Kieran (Brittany) and Natalie. As well, there are many
nieces, nephews and cousins with whom Ruth enjoyed long and loving
relationships.
She is also predeceased by her husband, Larry, and her five siblings
Everett, Lawrence, Doris, Creighton and Erma.
A Celebration Service will be held at Faith Memorial United Church in
Florenceville, NB on Saturday, October 27th, at 1100AM.
Remembrances of Ruth may be made to the Canadian Mental Health
Association with our thanks and gratitude.
Please go to this web site: www.gibersonfuneraldirectors.ca/ to
post on-line condolences. Donations may be made through the
Canadian Mental Health Association – cmha.ca/
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Ruth Eleanor Dow 19232018..
Death notice for the town of: Florenceville-Bristol, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick