RUBY ADINA LOTZ (AANDAL)

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RUBY ADINA LOTZ (nee AANDAL) In her 94th year, Mom passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 16, 2014. She was born January 8, 1920 in Grand Forks, North Dakota. At four months of age, the family immigrated to Canada and settled in Strongfield, Saskatchewan. Then the family was transferred to north east Saskatchewan to a town called Rose Valley, where her father served five congregations as a Lutheran Pastor. She attended school in Saskatchewan and also attended Camrose Lutheran College in Camrose, Alberta. The family was relocated in 1939 to Winnipeg. She completed her nurses' training in Winnipeg, then married in 1942 to Arthur Paxton, who was a member of the Royal Canadian Signal Corps and he went overseas the same year. She joined the Royal Canadian Navy as a W.R.E.N. and nursed for the duration of the Second World War. She was discharged in Winnipeg from the Navy, then moved to Vancouver in 1947 and divorced in 1949, then returned to Winnipeg, where she was employed at the Eaton Co. In 1954 she worked at Hinde & Dauch Co. Ltd. on Wall Street. In 1958 she married John Lotz and four months later left her work to be a full time Mom and then devoted her time to her family. Later on, she spent a great deal of time as a volunteer at schools, church, nursing homes, and hospitals. She also was especially devoted to the Scandinavian Centre, Scandinavian Choir, Folklorama and their cottage on Lake Winnipeg with her family in the summers. She was predeceased by her husband John earlier this year, her parents Martin and Clara Aandal, sisters and their husbands Myrtle (Jack) Fergus, Lily (Frank) Smith, Sylvia (Claude) Heales, sisters-in-laws Donna, Jeanne and Terry; her sister Rose Marie Aandal in 1943 and brother Ralph Aandal (killed overseas in 1944). She leaves to mourn her passing her beloved daughters Ardine (Eugene) Patrick, Janine (Marty) Harasymchuk, Marlene (Gerry) Curll; grandchildren Dennis Pottinger, Caitlin (Tim) Doucette, Jay Harasymchuk, Megan Harasymchuk and brothers Ernest and Vernon Aandal. She is also lovingly remembered by her many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends in Norway, the U.S. and Canada. Mom spent her final five years at Luther Home in Winnipeg. The family wishes to thank the staff for their love and care over the years. Memorial service will be held on Monday, September 22, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 211 Kimberly Avenue. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Luther Home (in Mom's memory) through canadahelps.org or to the Norwegian Canadian Club at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre, 764 Erin Street, Winnipeg. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 20, 2014