Ruth was the youngest of three children born to Ruth and Waldemar Seeliger on the 29th day of June 1942, in Gruenberg, Silesia, Germany. In advance of the Russian troops the family fled to Eisenberg, Thuringia, leaving everything behind, and then fled out of East Germany to West Germany in 1956 to avoid being arrested by the “Stasi” for speaking against the Government, once more with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
After completing school in 1958 she apprenticed in her parents Ladies and Men’s wear stores as a sales clerk. While working there she started to correspond with a man living in Canada in 1961 who later became her husband.
After writing for about two years, she decided to emigrate to Canada, as she also had an older sister and brother there. She landed in Edmonton on the 20th of June 1963 and was taken by her pen pal, Juergen, to her sister in Burns Lake. Ruth and Juergen fell in love, got engaged on the 18th of August the same year, and were married on the 2nd of May 1964 in Hines Creek, Alberta, where Juergen lived.
Ruth was blessed with three children, Thomas, in April of 1965, Barbara in June of 1967 and Jennifer in February of 1975. After the untimely death of her sister Barbara in July of 1965 she, together with baby Thomas and husband Juergen, went to visit her parents in Germany in September. After her father’s death just six weeks later on the 25th of October, her mother decided to emigrate to Canada. Ruth and family stayed with her until she was able to leave Germany and they arrived in Canada on Ruth’s birthday the 29th of June 1966. They lived together in Grande Prairie until her mother died in October 1989.
Ruth and Juergen joined the German Club in Grande Prairie in 1969 and she was an active member for as long as she lived there. Her training in Sales stood her in good stead when she worked in Ladies Fashions and Fur Stores in Grande Prairie for many years, and she especially enjoyed her work in the Bridal Section. She loved to sing, so when the club started a choir, she was a part of it, and looked forward to singing at the Hospital and Seniors Lodges at Christmas time and other special occasions. This was also true for the choir at Faith Lutheran Church that she was a member of, and she was a faithful soprano for many years. She volunteered where she could, and in 1986 did so for the Alberta Seniors Games.
She was a kind and generous person who loved her family and life, that she lived to the fullest, mischievous as all get out, and never hesitated to express how she felt. Ruth expressed her creativity in many ways, and was always ready to try something new. She enjoyed making Santas from scratch by hand including sowing the clothes and doing all sorts of mosaics and crafts and proudly displayed them at the various craft sales in the area.
She had quite a green thumb and was passionate about her flowers in the garden and the house. Rain or shine, she was always outside and ready for the next adventure walking or hiking, and in the winter skiing or snowshoeing, and the more the merrier. During her time in Sorrento, she had a number of walking/hiking partners over the years, but she wore all of them out in short order, as she had seemingly unlimited energy and there was no grass growing under her feet when she was walking.
She didn’t have a dog, but she never left the house without some dog treats in her pockets, and all the dogs along her route knew her and weren’t shy to come to her for their treats and pets. Mokka, the Lab, even remembered where she lived and actually came to the house on his walk with his owner to collect his goodies if he didn’t meet her on the road.
The annual Terry Fox Run was one of her favorites and she was always taking part and was even able to talk her husband into accompanying her for a few. She also participated in the Salmon Arm Relay for Life, where she walked all night to raise funds for Cancer research.
Ruth became Omi to two Grandchildren that she loved dearly. Christopher born in 1989 and Chloe in 1993. Chloe really brightened her days this past summer when she came for a visit from Australia and she thoroughly enjoyed every minute Chloe was here.
During her illness she required a lot of care, and she was grateful for the loving care she received from her family which made it possible for her to stay at home until two days before her death, and was by her side at the time of her death.
She is survived by her husband Juergen of nearly 59 years, and her brother Juergen. Her oldest daughter Barbara and husband Gordie, Jennifer, and her granddaughter Chloe and partner Bryan.
She was predeceased by her parents and her sister Barbara. Her son Thomas died in 2012.
A date and place for a memorial service is yet to be determined.
In lieu of flowers please consider the ALS Society of BC that was very supportive and helpful during her illness.
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Ruth Weihmann nee Seeliger December 12th 2022 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
Death notice for the town of: Vernon, Province: Colombie britanique