Ruth WALKER

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

WALKER: Ruth Walker (nee Eccles) passed away suddenly but peacefully at the Melita Health Centre on Wednesday, March 16, 2011. Ruth was born on December 28, 1925 in Lower Darwen, Lancashire, England, the youngest daughter of Thomas and Jane Eccles. Ruth received her training as a nurse working at Booth Hall Children’s Hospital in Manchester. She then went on to qualify as an X-ray Technician and a Radiotherapy Technician, training and working in Leeds, Yorkshire. In 1952 she decided to spend three years on a working trip to Canada with her friend, Dorothy Wood. They made the journey on a five day ocean voyage from Southampton to Quebec aboard the “S.S. Atlantic”. Ruth worked one year at the Ottawa Civic Hospital and two years at the Calgary General Hospital in the X-ray and Radiotherapy departments. Ruth met Keith Walker in 1954 when he was on a visit to Calgary and they were married in Winnipeg in 1956. They made their home in Virden where Keith and his partners built up their business, Virden Television Ltd., which they ran successfully for over thirty years. Ruth worked at the Virden Hospital as a X-ray Technician for one year until the arrival of the first of their four children, Patricia born in 1957, Rodney in 1958, Janice in 1961, and Fiona in 1965. Over the years she also accompanied Keith on his many buying trips and she kept the books for the store. In the spring of 1960, Keith and Ruth and their family moved to the Glengarry Farm in the Hargrave district where in subsequent years they built up a herd of registered Polled Herefords. In 1993 Keith and Ruth sold the farm, and enjoyed their retirement in Souris and Deloraine. They traveled extensively over the years, both with their family and later in retirement, visiting Ruth’s family in England many times, as well as taking trips throughout North America, Europe, and Australia. Ruth passed on her fondness for travel as well as her love of music, art and gardening to her children and grandchildren. After her husband, best friend and traveling companion Keith, died in 2008, Ruth continued to live in Deloraine until moving to the Melita Lodge for the last months of her life’s journey to be closer to family. Ruth was predeceased by her parents, Thomas and Jane Eccles; her husband Keith; sister Ann and brother-in-law Stan Hawkings of Shrewsbury, England. She is survived and mourned by her children, Pat (Ron) Rutherford, Rodney Walker, Janice (Bruce) Waddell, and Fiona Walker; and her grandchildren, Grant Rutherford, Christine (Graham) Poole and Alana Rutherford (Adam Scarth), Geordie Waddell (Christine Tollenaar), Eddie Waddell (Lauren Usick), Ben, Reggie, and Heather Waddell, and Danielle and Alec Stirbisky. The funeral service was held Saturday, March 19, 2011 at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Deloraine, Manitoba with the Reverend Mark Murray officiating. Interment followed at the Miniota Cemetery. Donations may be made in memory of Ruth Walker to a charity of your choice.

As published in Brandon Sun on Apr 02, 2011