Ruth Anna Montgomery

Ruth passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 in Calgary at the Rosedale Hospice at the age of 95 years after an eight-month struggle with lymphoma.  She was born in Youngstown, Alberta on October 13, 1924.  She is lovingly remembered by her daughter, Elaine (Robert Maitland); sons, Douglas (Patricia) and Murray (Mirella); son-in-law, Ron Funke (Barb Patching); seven grandchildren, Travis Funke (Michelle), Trent Funke (Rhea), Neil Maitland (Jordan Code), David Montgomery, Francesca Montgomery, Anthony Montgomery and Daniela Montgomery; two great-grandchildren, Milena and Lorelai McQuattie; and her sister, Hazel Lister. Ruth was predeceased by her husband of 66 years of marriage, Neil in 2012; daughter, Connie in 2013; one grandson, Brandon Maitland in 2010; by two of her three siblings, Robert Harrington and Marjorie Laing; as well as her parents, Ormal David Harrington and Effie Anna Harrington (Farris). Ruth lived on the home farm near Youngstown Alberta before the family moved to Lacombe in 1941 where she met Neil and graduated from high school.  Ruth and Neil were then married in Lacombe on August 29, 1946, after which they moved to Calgary and she lived in northwest Calgary for the remainder of her life.  Ruth worked at the Bank of Montreal while in Lacombe and after moving to Calgary.  She left the Bank to raise her family, but returned to banking in later years, and she eventually retired from the Bank in 1985.  Ruth and Neil owned a cabin in Windermere, B.C. where they spent many happy summers boating and enjoying the lake.  They also wintered in Arizona for many years and travelled to various places around the world. She continued travelling with daughter Elaine both before and after Neil’s death – she visited over 30 countries in total.  Her favorite trip was to Africa where she was fortunate to see all the “Big 5” and her personal favorite – the cheetah.  She was an avid bridge player, and she worked very hard to obtain her life master designation in 2015.  Ruth was a wonderful person who was very social, and she had a wide circle of friends that she greatly enjoyed over many decades.  We would like to thank Dr. Peter Colbert and the entire team at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre for the exceptional and compassionate care that they provided to Ruth and to the entire family.  We would also like to thank the Rosedale Hospice, The Foothills Medical Centre and the Peter Lougheed Medical Centre for the wonderful care that they provided to Ruth.  Services will be held for the immediate family only.  Interment will follow at the Lacombe Cemetery.  A memorial service will be held at a future time when conditions allow us to do so.  In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Ruth may be made to the Rosedale Hospice at https://www.hospicecalgary.ca/rosedale.

St David’s United Church is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting to view Ruth Montgomery’s funeral.

Join Zoom Meeting 
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89634853037

Meeting ID: 896 3485 3037