Ruth Sherwood was born in 1934 in Manitoba. For the earlier years of her life, she lived on a family farm that was originally homesteaded by her great-grandfather. Her paternal grandfather was not just a farmer, he was also an ordained United Church Minister and represented the region as a Member of Parliament in the late 1920s. With this, and a farm background, Ruth was exposed at an early age to political discussions and community values.
Ruth had a happy childhood under the watchful care of her parents, two sets of grandparents, and two maiden aunts. Ruth had a brother three years older — and later, a younger brother as well.
Early memories include standing and rolling on gasoline barrels on the lawn to improve her balance; raising chickens; and climbing her favourite maple tree in the pasture near her house so she could read in her little “nest”.
Food was plentiful on the farm. The family had an orchard and a large garden, so fresh fruits and vegetables were plentiful. Canning the surplus ensured a steady food supply during the winter months. Ruth’s Grandpa had dairy cows, so they had fresh milk and churned their own butter. They picked berries during the summer. During the war when sugar was rationed, Ruth’s father tapped some of their Manitoba maples. The children collected the sap for their mom to boil down to maple syrup in an outdoor kitchen.
Ruth was surrounded by cats and kittens while growing up (and still has a cat today!) At age 10, she inventoried the cats in her family — and there were about 30 between her grandparents house, her house, and the barn! She remembers helping her aunts hide newborn kittens from her Grandpa, afraid he might drown them.
During the winter months, Ruth and her siblings rode a neighbour’s horse-drawn sleigh for the 3-mile drive to and from their 1-room schoolhouse, which had a total of 13 students (grades 1-9). The same building served as a church on Sundays, where her grandfather preached.
In 1945, Ruth’s family moved to Winnipeg where she attended a larger “city” elementary and secondary schools. In Grade 11, Ruth received the Governor General’s medal for academic achievement, leadership, and involvement in sports. Following high school graduation, Ruth enrolled at the University of Manitoba, earning a degree in Home Economics. This helped launched Ruth’s career as a dietitian.
Ruth did her internship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and then went to work as staff dietitian first at the Victoria General Hospital in London, Ontario, and then in the medical ward of University Hospital in Saskatoon. For fun, Ruth enjoyed playing badminton, which is how she met her future husband (Edwin “Ed” Sherwood) while living in Saskatoon.
Ruth moved with a friend to London, England for a year and a half where she worked as a dietitian at the Paddington General Hospital. Ruth kept in touch with Ed during this time by mail. Ruth returned to Saskatoon in 1961, working at University Hospital as a staff dietitian in the surgical ward. She and Edwin were married in 1963.
Ruth and Ed’s family grew as they welcomed two children born 20 months apart: Richard in 1967 and Gillian in 1968. As a new mother, Ruth quit her full-time job but continued working part time doing research work for a doctor. Ed’s training was in making custom orthopedic shoes and other devices to help people with mobility issues, but he specialized in arch supports. His work led to him and a partner setting up a business making and selling custom arch supports in North Vancouver. So they relocated here in 1970. Ruth worked as a dietitian in Surrey Memorial Hospital to support the family while Ed’s business grew. In the 1980s the business was picking up — but their relationship was deteriorating. Ruth and Ed separated, and then later divorced.
Ruth continued working as assistant dietitian at Surrey Memorial Hospital, where she had a 17-mile commute to/from work. There, she and another staff nurse set up a diabetes program. But Ruth longed to be more hands-on in community work. So she changed jobs becoming a Nutritionist in the Burnaby Health Department’s continuing care program — eventually retiring in 1999.
In 1982, Ruth joined NSUC in 1982, serving at various times over the years as Board Secretary, Membership Chair, on the Hospitality Team, and Usher/Greeter coordinator. Through her NSUC friends Gary and Sandra Robinson (who had an healing clinic at that time), Ruth learned about energy work in a 6-month intensive program. She later also took a Reiki course and used it for friends, as needed.
It seems that wherever Ruth goes, she ends up forming friendships. She joined two women’s groups (one in the building where she lives and another at NSUC). For about 5 years, Ruth participated in a support group that was an offshoot of an event sponsored by the Unitarian Church of Vancouver. She even tried setting up a singles group at NSUC, but said it was tough because “You can’t dance on carpet”.
Ruth volunteered at the BC Mills Museum (in the Lynn Headwaters regional park) for a number of years, participating in activities with them. She also joined the Vancouver Hiking Association, meeting new friends through hikes and overnight camps — often in groups of 40 or so people!
She joined the Keep Well Association (a group started by 5 nurses), which included doing mild group exercises followed by blood pressure checks, shoulder massages, coffee and conversation. Ruth served on their Board and as a volunteer for them in an administrative role at the North Shore Neighbourhood House. She continued her work with them until right before the Covid pandemic.
In 2015, Ruth bought an iPad and joined a class to learn how to use it. She struck up friendships with some of the other participants. They formed an iPad social group that still meets weekly at the Parkgate Rec Centre.
In the 1990s, Ruth went on an adventurous trip to Ayrshire Scotland to track down the gravesite of one of her ancestors (John Brown, who was murdered in 1685 for being a non-conformist lay preacher). Her travels over the years have taken her to other countries as well, including Italy, Austria, Portugal, Bali, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica, and the Galapagos Islands.
Ruth has no grandchildren, but remains in close contact with her two grown children and their spouses. She talks with her son by phone every few days, and sees her daughter regularly for lunch and other meet-ups. Beau, her cat (formerly owned by Karen Patrick) keeps Ruth busy and provides endless entertainment. (Ruth says she is addicted to jigsaw puzzles on her iPad; she can’t do REAL puzzles because of her cat!)
Earlier this year, Ruth celebrated her 90th birthday. In spite of the essential tremors (which she inherited from her mom), she is still going strong! She has enjoyed getting to know some of our congregants more deeply through the “Mini Bio” program she launched recently, and is doing a fantastic job of helping us all get to know each other better.
Thank you, Ruth, for all you do to bring people together. You are an example and inspiration to us all!
~ Janni Kretlow