Last month my family lost the last of my parent's generation. She was my Aunt Ruth, my mom's younger sister. Born in 1926 in Spokane she was immediately adored by her two older sisters. The above picture of her was taken in 1927. She lived a great life which included marrying, rearing three children, singing with her beautiful gifted voice, working as a nurse, living as a widow for many years, keeping up with friends and family, and mall walking to name a few things.
God blessed Aunt Ruth with every spiritual blessing and many natural talents. Her parents valued music. She was fortunate to take singing lessons from the same voice teacher who coached Patrice Munsel. Her voice was even better than Patrice's according to her teacher.
Flashing back to my first meeting of her--I was a few months old--at Grandma and Grandpa's farm-- I was already doing the high kick and attempting to run away.
Aunt Ruth would graduate from North Central High School while living with us in Grandma and Grandpa's town house. She recalled having to tie the bathroom doors shut so Jay, 3 years old, would not walk in on her.
After WW II my family settled in Burbank, California. Aunt Ruth lived with us, before she was married, while she worked as a nurse in a local hospital. She told me that both she and my dad worked shifts and that with only a 2 bedroom house, and three kids, she did a thing called "hot bedding." That meant that if someone was at work the other person would sleep in their bed.
Uncle Jack, before he was Uncle Jack, would visit us in Burbank. One favorite memory of Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jack was when they sang, "I Said My Pajamas And Put On My Prayers," for me.
I was able to serve as a flower girl in Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jack's Spokane wedding. After our move to Alaska I wore the flower girl dress in "A Tom Thumb Wedding" put on by my school.
Aunt Ruth was one of the few people who sent me a gift for my high school graduation. It was a manicure set which came in very handy.
In 1965 Aunt Ruth and Diana traveled to Spokane to participate in Chris and my wedding. Aunt Ruth sang and Diana was our flower girl.
After Chris and I were married and on our way to live in Santa Barbara we stopped by Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jack's. After a sight seeing trip to a glass blowing gallery they gave up their king sized bed for us to sleep in, and slept with their kids that night.
Jes recalls that Aunt Ruth and John attended one of his concerts when his college jazz band was touring California. Another memory he had was, after his graduation from Whitworth, he showed Aunt Ruth around the campus, as it was also her alma mater.
One of my favorite pictures is of the 3 sisters taken in 1997 in Redwood city.
Ruth, Grace, Evelyn
One time, on a visit to my Aunt Evelyn's family in Seattle, she attended church with us. At the end of the service all the senior women were trying to recruit her for the senior group activities. She was such a good looking and friendly lady.
She was the only one in her family to achieve an undergraduate degree. She carried on the tradition of her ancestors on both sides of the family by working as a nurse. Two of the great grandfathers worked as medics in the Civil War.
God opened many doors for her and she went through! Click here to read her obit.
Revelation 3:8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
