Happy Birthday Grandma Ruth!

Happy Birthday Grandma Ruth. You would be 116 years old today if you were still with us.

My grandmother Ruth Ethel Simpson was born March 30, 1894 in Ramsgate England. She was called Dolly by her family because she looked like a little procelain doll.
When Ruth was 19 years old she left England for Ontario Canada with her fiance Charles Fuller, also 19. In May 1913 Charles and Ruth sailed on the Cunard Line ship AUSONIA from Southampton to Montreal then on to Quebec, Canada. They made their way to Toronto to Ruth's brother, and one year later in August 1914 they were married.

Charles and Ruth moved to Guelph Ontario where they raised three daughters but in 1941 after 27 years of a happy marriage, Charles died. Two years later in February 1943 Grandma Ruth married again to Sam Richardson who we called Daddy Sam. Another 12 years went by but Sam died in 1955. This time Grandma remained a widow less than a year before she married for the third time to Alfred (Fred) Bates a widower who worked in the same store as Grandma.

Grandma and Fred had 14 years together before he also died. Grandma was 76 years old and much to my surprise she did not marry again! I fully expected her to marry a fourth time. Grandma went to live with my mom and aunt after Fred died and then embarked on an adventure. The three ladies, all widows, sold their belongings, bought a motor home (a Winnebago) and began to travel. Mother drove, Lily (her sister) did the cooking and housework and Grandma Ruth knit, crocheted and watched the scenery.

In January 1985 Grandma Ruth passed away at the age of 91. She was fun, vivacious, loved the colour red and almost always wore a red pantsuit in later years. She was a terrific grandmother and I miss her a lot.