Obituary of Ruth Irene Waller

It is with great sadness that the family of Ruth Irene Waller announces her death at the age of 92. Ruth will be sadly missed and forever remembered by her loving husband of 65 years, Leslie Hector Riviere Waller and three daughters; Pamela Wister (Bill), Lethbridge, Alberta, Holly Froese (Ken), Toronto, Ontario and Dr. Carolyn Beesley (Paul), New York, NY. She is survived by seven grandchildren who loved and cherished her: Meredith Wister (Kyle Ronan) and Alyson (Wister) Rozier (Raoul), Calgary, Alberta, Matthew Froese, Caronport, Saskatchewan, Ainslie (Froese) MacLean (Reg), Toronto, Ontario, Naomi Froese, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Paul Andrew Beesley and Clare Beesley, Halifax, and also two great grandchildren: Maya and Theo Rozier of Calgary. Ruth is survived by her sister Nancy, as well as several nephews and a niece, including Kim Morehouse and Dr. Rachel Morehouse, both of Saint John. Ruth was born on October 24, 1922 in Saint John, N.B. to Lillian Mae (Chambers) and Victor LeBaron Vaughan (son of LeBaron and Amelia Killam Durkee Vaughan). Ruth was the third oldest in a family of four girls, having two older sisters, Elinor (d. 2000) and Constance (d. 2011) and a younger sister Nancy. She attended Saint John City schools and, upon graduating from Saint John High School, worked for several years as secretary to the manager of Dunn and Bradstreet of Canada Ltd. Once her three children were born, she remained at home until the youngest daughter started school. At that time, she became employed as a secretary in the medical records office of the Dr. William F. Roberts Hospital School. When that school closed she then worked in the Department of Health and Community Services until her retirement in 1987. Ruth attended Germain Street Baptist Church for her entire life until it closed in 2011. She was a member of the church choir for over 50 years. She has said that the choir leaders and members were a great source of inspiration, direction and friendship. Ruth was a life long supporter of missions, beginning as a child in the Mission Band and subsequently attending C.G.I.T. and the World Wide Guild. In her adult years she became a member of the Baptist Women’s Missionary Society and was an active member until recent years. She was a recipient of a Dominion Life Membership of that group in 1991. She attended St. Marks United Church beginning in 2011. Her church was a very important part of her life. Ruth loved music and enjoyed participating in musical activities and going to concerts. She was a knitter and made sweaters for every family member during her retirement years. Ruth loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and loved to visit them regularly. Her friends were also a very important part of her life and she enjoyed socializing with them over the years. She will be remembered for her love of baking sweets, particularly cookies and pies. Although there will be no visitation, relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service, which will be held from Brenan’s Funeral Home Chapel, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John (634-7424) on Thursday, April 2, 2015, at 12:00 Noon. Interment will take place in Fernhill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the charity of choice.