Obituary of Ruth Wilma Bax

Ruth Wilma Bax (nee Pollock)

Grateful to have spent her last days with family, our deeply loved Mum, passed away peacefully on Sept 16, 2021, in her 84^th year with family by her side. Ruth is now reunited with the love of her life, our father James (Jim) Clarence Bax (1994).

Predeceased by her parents Wilmot Victor Pollock and Nellie Rachel Geraldine Pollock (nee Sheane), her brother John Davis Pollock (1983) and sister-in-law Gwendolyn “Gwen” Isabelle Pollock (2010).

Ruth will be sadly missed by her children Heather (Scott) Fettes of Meadow Creek, B.C., and Michelle Bax (Chris) of Vineland, ON, and by her beloved grandchildren, Michaela, Kama-Anne, Kanysha Bax-Leaney, and Isaac Fettes.

Fondly remembered and cherished by her niece Debbie (the late Stanely) Williams of London, Dale (Louise) Pollock of Tiverton, Dean Pollock of St. Catharines, Suzanne (Andrew) Marshall of Aurora as well as her great nieces and nephews Sarah (Josh) and Kaitlin Williams, Kent (Krystal) and Kyle Pollock, Samantha (Jordan) and Drew (Rebecca) Marshall.  Ruth will be missed also and especially, by her beloved great, great nephew, Ayden Williams.

Our Mum was lovingly “adopted” by our father’s family when they married on May 16, 1964; Hank (Margriet) Bax, Herb (Janette) Bax, Bernie (Tina) Bax, Jean (Pete) Vanhelden, Gertie (the late Adrian) Wielhouwer, Margaret (the late Albert) Herfst, Clarence (the late Lorraine) Bax, Frits (Jan) Bax, the late Art Bax (Barb), the late Mary (the late Bert) Hummelen and the late Joanne (the late Bill) Vander Ploeg. Her presence will be deeply missed by her surviving brother and sister in laws and many nieces and nephews as well.

Ruth was a graduate of the Victoria College of Nurses in London (1959) and a graduate of the University of Western Ontario’s Nursing Service Administration Program (1962) where she actually met our Dad.

She had a wonderfully varied career as a Registered Nurse, Nursing Supervisor, Director of Nursing Care, Supervisor of Surgical Nursing (her favourite post), Clinical Supervisor of the RNA program and toward the end of her career as an Instructor for Conestoga College’s Health Care Aide Program. Ruth was highly respected in all the positions she held and somehow managed to always put her family first.

When Ruth retired from nursing, she enjoyed working as a Developmental Services Worker with persons who experience disabilities. When she retired for real, Ruth busied herself with volunteer work in many different capacities: the Crisis Pregnancy Centre, Deer Park Villa, a community feeding program for a local family who gave birth to triplets and making meals for people who were shut in or were experiencing difficult times, to name just a few.

Ruth knew how to make the people around her feel loved and cared for; she would go out of her way to call family and friends for their birthdays, anniversaries, she had a huge, kind heart and a tremendous capacity to love.

Her grandchildren were beneficiaries of her retirement as well.  They have fond memories of their Nana trekking on all kinds of adventures with them: whether it was Safari Niagara, African Lion Safari, Puddicombe Farms, hikes at Ball’s Falls, going down to the beach to feed the ducks, cozy sleepovers, endless games of hangman, dominoes, pick up sticks, hands down, memory, operation, uno; endless stories read together, craftscompleted, cookies baked and many, many trips for ice cream in all kinds of different places.

Ruth managed to overcome her fear of flying enough that she could take several trips to British Columbia to visit her grandson.  Countless hours were spent with him on the Glacier Lake beaches, amongst majestic snow topped mountains, creating “mining operations” with Tonka diggers, bulldozers, excavators, and loaders that Nana would “drive.”  Quadding (4 wheeling) through the mountains and on trails by the beautiful green blue lakes in British Columbia were also activities Ruth enjoyed on some of her trips to British Columbia.

Ruth also managed to overcome her fear of water so she could spend time with all her grand kids in the pool of the condo building she called home for 20 years.  Numerous family birthdays and Christmases were spent all together swimming, and these times together are things we will all miss.

To be known and loved by our Mum was an absolute joy. Despite facing significant losses and challenges throughout her life and particularly in the past several years, Ruth persevered and held tightly to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A bright light has been dimmed in our family. Our Mum’s beautiful blue eyes that sparkled when she smiled have closed here on earth; however, we rest in the knowledge as Ruth did that we will be together again.

There is rejoicing in heaven -Ruth’s eyes are wide open there, and she is finally in the arms of her husband Jim, never to be separated again.  She is surrounded by those who have gone before, and she is finally with her Heavenly Father.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Tallman Funeral Homes - Vineland Chapel.

A private service will be held at New Hope Church - St. Catharines, on Wednesday September 22, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. There will be visitation 1 hour before approximately 12:25 - 1:25 p.m.  Due to COVID protocols for contact tracing, registration will be required for both visitation and funeral.
 

To register for the Visitation / Funeral please follow this link New Hope Church  

Interment will occur Thursday Sept 23 @ 11 a.m. at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Chatham.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Every Home for Christ - Guelph are welcome.