RUTH ANDERSON

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RUTH ANDERSON Gwendolyn Ruth Anderson (nee Bell), age 93, formerly of McAuley, Manitoba, and a long time St. Vital resident, passed away April 4, 2014 after a brief illness and with family by her side. Mom was born in Morden, Manitoba April 26, 1920 to the Honourable Francis Campbell Bell and Eva Wright Rumball. She grew up in McAuley, where her father was the municipal clerk and later a provincial cabinet minister. Mom married the late Clifford Burton Anderson in 1941. Shortly after their marriage Dad was sent overseas to serve as an officer in the Canadian Armoured Corps. After his return from active service they farmed in McAuley. They loved to dance and party - especially at the Virden Armoury soirees. Dad died suddenly in 1967 and three years later Mom moved to Winnipeg. Mom's life was much affected by Canada's two great wars of the 20th century. She was raised by a survivor of the trenches of the First World War and her husband was several times wounded in the tank battles of Italy and northern Europe, an experience which stayed with him for the rest of his life. Mom's first child, Ronald Clifford, did not meet his father until he was four years old. She subsequently had four more children; Cheryl Ruth Dann (Terry); Ian Bell (Janet); Thomas Burton (Michele) and Cynthia Leigh Dayman (Gavin). After Dad's untimely death, life was hard for Mom and her family. But she was up to the challenge. With few advantages other than her own qualities of resourcefulness, persistence and determination, she worked hard to make sure that her children had what they needed to be successful in their lives. Mom had always kept a large garden, canning its produce for the winter. She assigned chores, made sure homework was done and got everybody to church on Sunday. She saved enough to put on a wonderful Christmas each year. In 1970, after the farm was sold, Mom moved to Winnipeg. She dusted off her clerical skills in order to support her two youngest children through high school. She worked first at the Unemployment Insurance Commission and subsequently at Manitoba Public Insurance and Revenue Canada until her retirement in 1985. Although she probably didn't think about it much, Mom's environmental footprint has been very small. As a child of the depression she never liked to waste anything. She was a great saver and, despite her limited income, she provided generous financial support to her family. Mom was a tireless knitter and all of her grandchildren had hats, mittens and sweaters to prove it. She never had a car and, until the last years of her life, Mom walked to get her groceries and rode the bus downtown to Eaton's to indulge her love of buying clothes and to look for bargain gifts. Taking pride in her appearance, getting her hair done and having her makeup on were very important to her. Mom was the matriarch of a large extended family. In addition to her own children she leaves 16 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Her family was everything to her and she was never happier than when she was at a family party with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Cremation has taken place and Mom's ashes will be interred next to her husband in the Moosomin Cemetery, near McAuley. At her request, there will be a private celebration of Mom's life and legacy for her immediate family. We send our thanks to the staff at Vista Park Lodge for their care and kindness. "Mom - Your memory is our keepsake from which we will never part. God has you in his keeping - we have you in our hearts."

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 12, 2014