October 2, 1925 – May 14, 2021
Ruth was born at her family’s home in Toronto, ON. Although she grew up in the big city, accustomed to electric lights, running water and indoor plumbing, she spoke often of how much she enjoyed her family’s vacation time each summer, with her cousins on the Baer farm near Goderich, Ontario.
Ruth was 13 years old when Canada entered World War II. It impacted every aspect of Ruth’s teenage years. She lived her life grounded in her faith, which inspired her vocation as a teacher. She was grateful to have parents who supported post-secondary education for their daughters, as well as their sons. After attending Normal School, Ruth taught in one-room schools for three years, starting as an eighteen-year-old in 1944 at S.S.# 4, near Moorefield, Ontario. She fell in love, married Frank Scott in 1947 and resigned her teaching contract, (although if she hadn’t resigned she would have been fired in accordance with teacher contracts of that era).
Ruth happily began her life as a farm wife in what she later described as a drafty, old, farm house, heated by a wood stove, with water that was only “running” if the person carrying the bucket “ran”, an outdoor toilet and a party-line phone. As years passed, they took great pride and pleasure in fixing up the house as finances allowed. The arrival of (Linda) Dianne, Ray and Karen completed the family. Ruth and Frank began their broiler chicken operation in the mid ‘50’s.
In1958 Ruth and Frank loaded up their children (2, 6 and 9 years of age) in their first car, on their first big car trip to visit family in Massey, ON, and Medicine Hat and Leduc AB. (Dad always laughed that their used Ford could pass anything on the road… except a gas station.) By the time they returned home, they had visited the Rockies, and been initiated into camping, a tradition that made Scott coast to coast travels an affordable tradition right through the 1980’s.
In 1959 Ruth was recruited back to teaching, in the wake of the baby boom. She taught first in a one-room-school then at the consolidated township school (Kenilworth), as soon as it opened in 1962. There Ruth taught Grade One classes until she retired in 1986, ensuring that hundreds of children learned to read.
Ruth took many summer and evening courses through the University of Toronto, and in 1977 she earned her B.A. degree. In the era of the women’s liberation movement she served on the Executive of the North Wellington Women Teacher's Association, as president in 1966-1967. In the seventies, as a Director of the Federation of Women Teachers of Ontario, she worked towards establishing equal pay for women doing work of equal value, and equal treatment for women applying for loans, mortgages and credit cards. After retirement, she continued to be active in the Retired Teachers of Ontario, and held the position of President for one year.
Ruth was an amazing knitter, viewing complicated patterns as mathematical puzzles. She and Frank enjoyed travel, visiting India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, the British Iles, and Florida, as well as cruises: to Alaska; through the Panama Canal; Mediterranean countries; a trans-Atlantic crossing and the Caribbean. Their car trip itineraries explored every Canadian province, the Yukon territory as well as a cross-country trip through the US, from Ontario to Arizona and California.
Ruth loved living on the farm, and Spring tramps back to the bush to look for daffodils were a tradition for the children and grandchildren. When they acquired a small horse in the 1960’s, it was Ruth who was the first in the saddle, to settle “Pixie” down. Ruth and Frank enjoyed hosting many family gatherings at the farm.
Ruth and Frank celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1997, just a couple of years before Frank passed away in 1999. Ruth moved to Brampton in 2006, and (still driving) adjusted well to condo life, and later in a retirement complex with more supports after breaking her hip. She struggled with dementia in her final years at Woods Park in Barrie, Ontario, but was still able to crack jokes about staff there never being “Ruthless”, reading her memory cards, and reciting hymns, poems and prayers which grounded her.
Ruth lived out her faith in the community of Moorefield United Church. She joked that she was conceived “Methodist” but born “United”. Ruth was a CGIT leader in her early years, and well as a choir member and Sunday School teacher for many decades. After retirement she took on various roles in the United Church Women.
Ruth was predeceased by her parents Harold Hickman of Grand Bank, NL and Mabel (Bean) Hickman of Huron County, ON, her true love/husband William Francis (Frank) Scott, and her siblings Charles (Ferne) Hickman, and Fred (Margaret) Hickman.
Ruth followed and celebrated the accomplishments of each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She is survived by: sister Eleanor (Harry) White; her children Dianne (Richard) Seguin, Ray Scott, and Karen (Tom Mankowski) Scott; grandchildren: Nicole (Brian), Danielle (Andrew), Monique (Jamie), Joshua and Jessica (Ryan); 11 delightful, great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-grandson; and many nieces and nephews.
If you would like to honour Ruth’s memory with a memorial gift, consider a donation to your local United Church, or the Mission and Service fund of the United Church of Canada; the Canadian Heart and Stroke Fund; or the Canadian Cancer Society.
A virtual service celebrating Ruth’s life will be held through North Bramalea United Church (nbuc.ca). Details will follow. Ruth’s ashes will be interred in the family plot at Palmerston Cemetery at a later date.