RAMSAY; Ruth Bertha Harriet Sundin Ramsay June 30, 1924 - January 5, 2012. My Mom was born June 30th, 1924. Her birthday was usually the last day of school and the start of summer holidays. How much better can a birthday get? She passed away January 5, 2012 at the age of 87 after a full life of loving her friends and family. Mom's life could have been a tragic tale - she was only 5 and a half months old when her father passed away with tuberculosis, leaving her mother widowed with 3 small children and the job of running the farm. There was no social assistance in those days! Then came the droughts of the dirty thirties and then the war. But Mom remembered only the abundant love and security she felt with her warm competent mother. When her grandparents moved in with them in the small home to help out, she got to stay up late until everyone went to bed, because her bed was the couch she shared with her mother. Maybe that was the start of her night owl enjoyment! (Mornings were not her love) She remembered dancing in the kitchen with her Mom whenever the polkas came on the radio. And her older sister Annie and brother Alex were best friends who looked out for her too and took her to dances 3 or 4 times a week as a teenager. She had cousins Albert and Evelyn who lived across the road and were similar age as Mom. What fun they had walking to school together, skating in the moonlight and reading True Stories under the covers when it rained. She learned how to use stilts from her grandpa. That was great until she tried to cross the wet ditch and got stuck in the mud! (In 1999, when Mom, Sheri and I visited Sweden together she demonstrated how to use stilts at a Viking village when she was a young 75 years of age.) Mom completed her Grade 10 and then worked for the neighbors for a few years. Then she went to Saskatoon for more training and worked at the Bessborough Hotel and at the flour mill. She had met my dad, Carl Ramsay, at a wedding dance in fairy Glen and their courtship took place in Saskatoon. On June 4, 1948, they married and built a 24' by 24' 2 storey home nine miles from Cut Knife. They had no running water and no electricity initially but they had their dream home. Over the years, as the family expanded, the house did too with additions and upgrades. Mom and her mother had a very special bond. After mom and dad were married, Grandma (Ma) would come to spend winters with our family and we all benefitted from the many hours Ma read to us, mentored us and gently corrected us just as she had with our mom. From her mother, mom inherited a wonderful attitude to life. She was such a tolerant and loving lady who flowed with the tides of life. "If it wouldn't matter in a hundred years, it wasn't worth worrying about!" Mom and Dad love people and entertained anyone who came into the yard. The guests would be treated to a bountiful table, a real interest in their lives, many interesting stories, joy and laughs. Mom had a way of bringing out the best in people, especially shy or quiet people - a poem that her late daughter/my late twin sister Bonne had says it best: A friend is one to whom one may pour out the contest of one's hart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with the breath of kindness blow the rest away. That was mom's way of loving her family and friends. Mom and Dad had a great relationship and raised 5 children: Anne, Bonnie and Betsy, Calvin and Greg. The children each married their sweethearts and had children, then grandchildren of their own. She had 13 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren and freely showed her love to each one of them. Mom just loved the noise and energy of little kids and big kids. She was a kid at heart in many ways and always ready to experience new adventures. She loved playing ball in the yard, skating, water fights (even in the kitchen!), climbing onto roofs, picnics in the fields, snow ball fights, hip checking teen grandsons, reading, playing cards and games. Mom loved being outside. Her son Cal remembers a special evening during a sleigh ride with mom, Marilyn and him when there were some liquid refreshments that were passed back and forth. With mom in the middle, she had double the treats. Those kinds of refreshments were very unusual for mom but she was game for almost anything! She was Saskatchewan's biggest fan of the living skies. Well into her late 70's mom would almost daily cross country ski in winter or bike ride in summer. Her grandchildren appreciated her love of hummingbirds and the constellations. Treating her family to her excellent cooking and baking was her joy. Who could forget her cinnamon buns, grot, pineapple/apricot jam, pumpkin pies, chocolate syrup, delicious suppers and special treats for each family member? She loved to invite the whole community in for turkey suppers and have two long tables set up with her finest china. She didn't worry that something may get broken; she enjoyed hosting people the best that she could. As the family's Herefords became more popular, she hosted more people from nearby and faraway: Chile, Japan, Russia, Great Britain etc. with the same warmth and lovely way as she would her closest friends and family. Many of her friends were impressed with mom's easy way of putting a meal on the table. Early in mom and dad's life, one older friend said "you have three babies under the age of 3 and 3 men to feed every day and company dropping in - how do you do it?" For mom, people and cooking were joys. Another joy was the Tuesday night community bridge club where the 8-12 players would play until 2 or 3 a.m. and then have to get up in the morning to send their kids off to school. I expect naps the next day were in order! Late nights were when mom got to sew and craft without interruptions and she spent many a night at the sewing machine creating special clothes for her daughters. Mom's faith was an integral daily part of her life. She loved her Lord. Her Bible was a book that she read daily and bible study was a joy. She strived to live her life with Christian values. She enjoyed her church family and singing in the choir. In her much later years, when she would attend the Special Care Home Church services, she may have rested with her eyes closed during the sermon but she sure did perk up during the singing! Mom loved to travel anywhere, anytime. Dad and she loved getting into the car and visiting their Hereford friends in North America and visiting relatives in PEI and Sweden. Mom's Swedish heritage was very important to her. She wanted to pass that onto her family and her family has maintained close bonds with our relatives in Sweden. After Dad passed away in 1996, if were going anywhere, mom was always available travel companion. A few years after she was widowed, she became close friends with Mr. Wilbert Wismer. They would meet for supper, they may go for a drive to see the crops, play some cribbage and enjoy each other's company. Their friendship last many years. Mom was admitted to the Cut knife special care home in Dec. 2005 and Wilbert in 2006 so they could still visit every day until Wilbert passed way. Mom was a realist. When she found out that her memory was deteriorating in 1999, she didn't cry and moan. Instead, she started writing her family history so that it would be available when she could no longer tell us. Over the last 12 years, mom gradually lost more and more memories but she did not lose her sense of humor or her loving spirit. Even this last month, she was still leaning over to whisper with smile and a hand on our arms, telling us "I love you." Her warmth and enjoyment of children shone through on her 87th birthday when there were three newborn great grandsons all celebrating with the family. She would hold a baby, kiss him and say "I love you". Her daughter Anne and her son in law Murray share this recent memory of mom: "When Murray and I visited mother last September, we told her that Murray and I and our two oldest grandsons Caleb and Reiley, had just returned from visiting family in Sweden for a month. She replied "If I knew you were going, I would have come too!" I asked if she could speak Swedish, she spoke a few words. After a pause I asked if she felt like singing one of her favorite songs "you are my sunshine." She became quite shy, lowered her head and her voice, much like a child would, and proceeded to sing ALL verses of the songIN SWEDISH!! What a precious memory!" Mom would frequently tell us that she would love to visit one of her grandsons Colin in Taiwan but unfortunately was physically unable to travel that far those last few years. Mom retained so much of her social kindness and humor. When we came to visit, she would say "my you are looking great today." Her son Greg enjoyed her response when asked how she was, and she would reply "If I was any better, I would be dangerous!" Many of the nursing staff encouraged mom to sing the favorite song that she sang with such gusto; "Oh, it is cloudy and the west and it looks like rainwith a ki ky yiyippie" always ending with a fist thrown into the air with enthusiastic Yahoo! The staff had a very kind, fun loving and gentle manner with mom; and we so appreciate they care they showed her. Mom, I know you have left all of us a legacy of love, acceptance and enthusiasm of life. May we try to live our lives with as much love for others, grace and acceptance as you lived yours! We love you! A NEW JOURNEY BEGINS: There is a place I've never seen beyond this world we know. A place I've hear of but someday hope to go-It's not on any map, there are no roads to take me there, But it's a place of perfect peace where hearts are free from care. And though I understand some may be saddened when I leave, One day, we all will meet again-That's what I believe. When it is time to travel there, I think I'll wear a smile, I'll say goodbye to those I love, but only for a while, knowing there are others who have travelled there alone, who cannot wait to greet me and to whisper "welcome home" Carlton Cards The celebrations of Ruth's life took place on Monday, January 9th, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at Cut knife Good Shepherd Church in Cut Knife, Sask. Officiant was Rev. Grant Wasmuth with Eulogist Betsy Brown. Organist was Ned Ramsay and Readers were Robin Flicek and Sheri Sutendra. Hymns were "Nearer My God to Thee"; "When the Role is Called Up Yonder"; "Will Your Anchor Hold". Honorary casket bearers were all those who shared in Ruth's life. Active Casket bearers were her grandchildren: Darwin Carlson, Ryan Carlson, Colin Brown, Sheri Sutendra, Carl Schultz, Tyler Schultz, Reginald Schultz, Carl Ramsay, Robin Flicek, Vaughn Ramsay, Nicole Ramsay and Crystal Ramsay. The reception was held at the Cut Knife Curling Rink served by the Cut Knife Royal Purple Ladies. Tributes were to the Cut Knife Special Care Home or Cut Knife Community 4-H club. The interment was at the Cut Knife Cemetery. Ruth is survived by her children: Anne Marie (Murray) Carlson, Darwin (Elke), Caleb and Reiley, Ryan (Susan), Sophie and Aiden: Betsy (Robert) Brown, Colin, Sheri (Gopi) Sutendra, Naden, Tevan; Fred (Helene) Schultz, Carl, Tyler, Reginald; Cal (Marilyn) Ramsay, Carl (Dalynn), Cordell, Robin (Randy) Flicek, Ramsay, Rawley; Greg (Cheryl) Ramsay, Vaughn, Nicole, Crystal. Ruth is also survived by nephew Brooke (Carole) Sundin and Theresa and 7 other nieces and nephews; brothers in law Lyle (Mary) Ramsay, Bob Ramsay and Les Ramsay. Ruth was predeceased by her husband Carl, parents Betsy and Peter Sundin, sisters Annie (Alex) Baumgartner, brother Alex (Edith) Sundin and their son Randy Sundin, nephew Randy Ramsay, grandson Brett Carlson and daughter Bonnie Schultz and Ruth's special friend, Wilbert Wismer. Graydon Olsen, Ted Grondin, Bob Clothier, Kirby Sarvas and Shannon Ehry, assisted by Allen Irwin of Grondin Funeral Services Ltd., in Unity entrusted with arrangements 228-4480 ____________________________________________________
