June 27, 1952 – November 13, 2025
Ruth passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday November 13, 2025, after a hard-fought battle with dementia.
Ruth was born in Winnipeg on June 27, 1952, the third and youngest daughter of Les and Bonnie Harris. Growing up in St James with her two older sisters, she loved playing paper dolls and house with them.
Some of her favourite memories were vacation adventures to places all over Canada and the US in our little travel trailer. Travel planning started right after Christmas – the dining room table covered with maps. Then a trip to the Manitoba Motor League (now CAA) for a Trip Tic. Then the planning began. We travelled to Disneyland – twice. We saw the giant redwood trees in Northern California. We travelled the Pacific Coast Highway north to Vancouver, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. We swam in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. We walked up and down the Las Vegas strip at midnight. We drove the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and Virginia. We visited Churchill Downs. We drove a lap around the Indianapolis 500 Speedway. We went crabbing off the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We walked down Pennsylvania Avenue, touring the White House and the Capital Building, as well as the many monuments throughout the DC area. We visited Arlington National Cemetery and the grave site of J.F. Kennedy. We visited Ottawa, the Parliament Buildings, the Mint, Niagara Falls and other southern Ontario attractions. We travelled through the Canadian Rockies, camping along the way. Dad loved to travel and visit new and different places and shared this spirit of adventure with each of his daughters.
Ruth loved adventure. She travelled to New Zealand on her own in her early 20’s to attend Capenwray Bible school. She and Jen travelled through Europe on a bus tour. They also took a road trip to Kentucky. She biked the Cabot trail in Cape Breton as well as in the South of France and Moab, Utah. She hiked the Medford track in New Zealand. She climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. She skied in Alberta and British Columbia. She spent time considerable time in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. She and Susan drove to Palm Springs one winter. We travelled to New York to support the WSO performance at Carnegie Hall, followed by a reception at the Russian Tea Room. We took a Canada-New England cruise, disembarking in Boston, taking the train to New York where we visited the 911 Memorial, the Statue of Liberty, a boat ride around Manhattan. We rode the subway in New York, walking down Canal Street. We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and ate pizza at Julianna’s. We walked up to the observation deck at the Empire State Building.
Ruth worked for the Bank of Montreal in Winnipeg, Calgary and rural Alberta and later with MTS in Winnipeg. Once she retired, she returned to university for a diploma to teach English as an additional language She loved her students and was very empathetic to the lives they left behind for a better life in Canada. She also spent six months in Japan teaching English. Ruth had always loved the mountains and eventually decided to move to Kelowna, returning to Winnipeg in 2022.
Ruth was predeceased by her mom and dad, Les and Bonnie Harris, sister Sydney and brother-in law Don. She is survived by her sister Susan, niece Jen (Adam and her children Liam, Callum and Cameron), nephews Leigh (Tracey, Amber and Sarah) Joshua (Val, his children Larissa and Jacob and their mother Rachel), James (Kelly and her daughter Harper), Regan (Christine, Rex and Colin). She is also survived by brother-in-law Dan (Dawn), plus cousins and friends.
Thanks to Ruth’s friends, Marion, Gayle, Judy (& Trevor) and Susan (& David) for staying in touch with Ruth until she was no longer able to communicate. Sincere thanks to Cate for her friendship and support for both Ruth and I.
Thanks to the staff on Deer Lodge Tower 3 for their loving care for Ruth – many of them also cared for Sydney prior to her death.
Cremation has taken place and there will be no service. Ruth will be laid to rest in Brookside Cemetery with her mom and dad and sister Sydney.
Flowers gratefully declined. Donations to the charity of your choice.
Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences using the comment field below.