Ruth BAKER

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BAKER: Mrs. R. Ruth Baker of Brandon passed away at the Assiniboine Centre on Sunday, November 23, 2008 at the age of 72 years. Ruth was born in the Rathwell area on February 18, 1936. Ruth received most of her education there and completed high school in Killarney after the family moved there in 1951. She taught on permit at Tisdale school and then attended Normal School at Tuxedo in Winnipeg. After graduation, Ruth taught at Lily school, then at Carroll. It was there that she met Jack Baker, the love of her life. They married on July 5, 1958 and were happy to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this past summer. Ruth taught from 1959-61 at Delton school in the Rounthwaite area. She then became a full time mom for a while as Cheri, Kim, and Murray were born in 1962, 1963, and 1964. She was a very busy lady! Ruth returned to teaching in 1968 with the Brandon School Division at Park school and then George Fitton school. Along the way she earned a Bachelor of General Studies from Brandon University. Ruth retired from teaching in 1991. It was two years after she and Jack retired from farming. Ruth was a dedicated and super organized teacher, who was strict but also enjoyed having fun with her class and colleagues alike. She had a way of reaching students who might have been struggling. Some of you might not know this but Ruth was a real authority on wood-ticks! Each year her class would take a field trip to her beloved Brandon Hills. She was the tour guide on the trip and using a megaphone pointed out interesting things of nature along the way. To avoid getting wood-ticks, each year the children would be instructed to wear socks and pull them up over their jeans; each year they would be encouraged to wear caps to keep the wood-ticks out of their hair; and each year on returning from the trip there would be a few kids covered with the little suckers! But it wasn’t from lack of trying! Ruth loved reading and passed that love on to her students and family alike. Ruth loved the Brandon Hills area, the farm and most of all, her family, to whom she offered acceptance and unconditional love. Together they enjoyed relaxing times at Pelican Lake, socializing with family and friends alike; and Christmases held at the farm with skating and ski-dooing adding to the fun! Ruth’s other interests included gardening, walking hand in hand with Jack, watching the wrens in their nest outside the cabin at the lake, and knitting some of those afghans that she was pleased to share with others. And while she and Darlene bought RED HATS…it was much more fun to make their own, unique creations with ribbons, bows, beads and, one time, antlers from the dollar store. There was always a unique hat for each occasion and always a reason for another hat! Ruth loved animals and family still smile at the thought of the time she and Jack went on a trip to get their dog Tripper from the Tripps! Family was very important to Ruth and you know that she loved them very much. She faced her illness bravely. As her dear friend Darlene mentioned, Ruth would say you’ve got to ‘suck it up or crumble’’. And crumble was something she wouldn’t do! Ever the efficient organizer, Ruth wrote helpful notes to those around her so they could find things and so that they could carry out her wishes. A woman of honesty and integrity, Ruth took life as it came and did her best. Ruth is survived by her loving husband Jack, daughter Cheri (Albert) Legare; grandchildren Marsha, Kayla, and Michael Kindrat; and their father Kevin Kindrat of Brandon; daughter Kim (Fred) Weber and grandchildren Thomas, Britney, and Katryn of Brandon; son Murray Baker of Pelican Point, Ninette and Marie Bruce and her children Jennifer and Michael of Killarney. Also many cousins, in-laws, nieces and nephews, and a very special friend, neighbor, and confidant, Darlene Yurchuk. Ruth was predeceased by her parents Clark and Rose Lounsberry, and siblings Grant Mulholland and Doris Willis. Many thanks extended to the staff of Cancer Care, Dr. duPlooy, Dr. DeWet, Dr. Goosen, and the staff of the Brandon Clinic. Also thanks to the staff on 400 of the General and A3 of the Assiniboine. Thank you, Andi for your help and guidance. Thank you Brockie Donovan staff and Arlene Robertson of First Presbyterian Church for the lovely service. Donations in memory of Ruth can be made to the Cancer Society.

As published in Brandon Sun on Jan 17, 2009