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RUTH LENORE HUGHES
Born: Nov 04, 1912
Date of Passing: Mar 13, 2017
Offer Condolences or Memory Make a donation to Winnipeg Humane Society
RUTH LENORE HUGHES After 104 years the long, courageous and beautiful life journey of Ruth Lenore Hughes (McEwen) has come to an end. On March 13, 2017, holding hands with her family, Mom simply stopped breathing. It was amazingly peaceful for her. Ruth was born in Selkirk, Manitoba, on November 4, 1912. She was the beloved youngest child of Dugald and Annie McEwen and grew up surrounded by five brothers and four sisters. That branch of the family tree ends with her passing but her many nieces and nephews, and grand and great-grand and great-great-grandnieces and nephews, ensure the McEwen tree continues to thrive. The first century of Ruth's life was filled with music, social activism, service to her country, marriage, family, pets and service to others. She marched against fascism in the 1930s, joined the army to fight it in the 1940s, and there met her husband Bert (Hughie). After the war they moved to British Columbia and started their own family, returning to Winnipeg in 1958. To her great sorrow, in 1978, after 36 years together, Ruth lost the love of her life to cancer. Missing her dearly are her children Nym and Ian, their partners Sarah and Carol, grandchildren Toby (Robyn), Laina (Jory), step-grandchildren Siobhan (Greg) and Sarah (Shaun) and step-great-granddaughter Sophia. Over the course of a century Ruth made hundreds of friends. Being who she was, they remained close to her despite separations of distance and time, and we thank them for their love and support over the last few trying days. Ruth's home for the past four years was Lions Personal Care Centre in Winnipeg. We thank the staff for their constant warm and tender care, especially the incredible kindness shown to her and us as her life came to its close. A celebration of Ruth's life will be held in the Gateway Room of the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, Monday, March 20, at 2:00 p.m. Ruth's western family and friends can join us at a celebration in Vancouver April 9 at the Langara Golf Course Clubhouse. Rather than flowers we would welcome donations to the Winnipeg Humane Society, or your local Humane Society, in her name.
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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 18, 2017
Condolences & Memories (1 entries)
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I am amazed to hear that Ruth Hughes is gone… and that she lived to be 104 years. I knew that she was older than me, but I don’t think it ever occurred to me that she was 40 years older! In the years I lived in Winnipeg, before I came to Israel in 1990, Ruth attended the “Creative Retirement” classes I taught downtown. I don’t remember exactly what I taught, but I imagine it included the things closest to my heart—the Hasidic teachings of Rebbe Nahman, the Sufi poetry of Rumi, and maybe some Sufi teachings of my teacher Murat Yagan, who passed away three years ago at the age of 98. So now it turns out that Ruth was even older than Murat! I do remember that when Dr. Alan Grant, the Sufi leader in Vancouver who was working under Murat came to visit me and the group I led in Winnipeg, he also came to the Creative Retirement class. I remember how warmly he was received, how he was able to connect with these seniors. I also remember the sympathy they expressed afterwards, for the difficulties that he (and I) had working with Murat! Ruth was very much a part of all that. There were a number of special people in that class, but it’s Ruth whom I remember most vividly. I recall the sense of seeing things eye to eye. Ruth had a sharp intellect, but she used it in the service of the heart and soul, of a deeper understanding. I didn’t have to teach her that and I think that this is what we really shared. Looking back, I’m not sure if she was so much interested in Judaism, or Sufism, in those particular traditions which are so important to me. (In addition to running the Olam Qatan “spiritual” bookstore here in Jerusalem, I lead a spiritual conversation on “Judaism & Sufism” on Facebook these days.) But Ruth was interested in what I had to share, she was interested in soul, and approached it with a sharpness of mind that appreciated insight and didn’t suffer fools. I felt that she saw me, that she understood what I was offering, and this made for a deep companionship between us. We were such good friends! I knew she was a good deal older than me, but I don’t think it occurred to me when I left Winnipeg at the age of 38 (some 27 years ago) that Ruth was twice my age! I know it’s silly to focus on all these numbers now, but as I look back it’s one thing near at hand. I did visit her once or twice, after that, in her little apartment close to Nym in Vancouver. It wasn’t the same. Engaging in spiritual studies drew out the best in us. When she gave me a tour of where she lived, I felt like what she was sharing with me were the limitations of her life. We didn’t find a way of taking the conversation deeper… But I have not forgotten the warm friendship we shared in Winnipeg. I feel Ruth now… that she is still with me. I am very grateful for the blessing of her life, as I know we all are. May her memory continue to inspire us! Ya’qub ibn Yusuf - Posted by: Ya'qub Ibn Yusuf (friend (and teacher)) on: Mar 19, 2017