Ruth was born in Creemore, February 17, 1930, the oldest of nine children to Harris and Marie Morrow. Growing up during the depression was not without challenges. Ruth’s family lived on a farm where the railroad tracks crossed through and in the thirties when so many people were jobless she knew firsthand about the “hobo’s” who rode the rails. It was her job at a very young age to make sure preserves or food of some kind was left on a windowsill for the hobo’s because if it wasn’t it was feared that the barn or something else would get burned down.
Ruth and her family moved to Sunnidale Township and she attended Slash School on the 7th of Sunnidale until grade 8 when her parents took her out of school to help with her younger siblings while both of them worked for the Toronto City Dairy in New Lowell. She was disappointed when the promise to return to school never came to pass. She, like so many others of her generation, never let the lack of formal education take her down.
Through her teens, which was during the second world war, she worked for neighbours cooking and cleaning to help contribute to the family income while also doing her share of chores and farm work.
Ruth met a farm boy from down the road and eventually married Eric in 1949. No stranger to the hard work that comes with farming Ruth worked alongside her husband of 72 years. Whether it was milking cows, field work or keeping the books she was involved. Together they raised 6 children.
Ruth remained active in her roll as farm wife until she fell while putting supper on the table four years ago. She never walked again and spent the last four years of her life dependent on others. It never broke her spirit. Ruth passed away peacefully on October 12, 2023 in hospital with family by her side.
Ruth is survived by 5 of her children, 8 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren and 2 sisters and a brother.
Friends are invited to join Ruth’s family for a Graveside Service on Friday October 20, 2023 at the Stayner Union Cemetery at 11 o’clock. Arrangements under the direction of the Carruthers & Davidson Funeral Home -Stayner Chapel. To sign Ruth’s Book of Memories, please visit www.carruthersdavidson.com