Ruth E. Schlegel of Palmerston passed away peacefully at Caressant Care Nursing Home, Harriston on March 16, 2021 in her 86th year. Loving mother and mother-in-law of Andrea Schlegel of Midland, Texas; Melissa Schlegel of Toronto and Elizabeth and Robert MacKenzie of Neustadt. Dear grandmother of Jude and Luke Mendez of Texas; Sophia and Olivia Joseph of Toronto; Emma, Ava and Calum MacKenzie of Neustadt. Also remembered by cousins, extended family, nieces, nephews and her many friends. Survived by former partner Walter Harvey of Palmerston. Predeceased by her mother Earlene Storie, sister Evelyn Playford and brother Calvin Storie. Ruth was renowned for her artistic talents, her spectacular gardens and was respected by her many loyal customers and friends through her hairstyling business which she operated from her home in Palmerston for many years – a house that was always filled with fresh floral bouquets and shared with the many cats she took in over the years. Born in Restoule, Ontario, Ruth was raised in the rural area south of North Bay before coming to Kitchener where she started her family and began working in hairstyling. After a brief period in Clifford she later made Palmerston her home and went back to school, studying fine art at the University of Waterloo in the 1980s. Ruth had remarkable artistic ability and created her masterpieces in watercolour and acrylic painting along with other mediums. Her works hang in many homes, businesses and institutions across North America. Being a well-read and well-travelled independent woman, Ruth came to embrace Israel in her later years and made several journeys to serve with the Canadian Volunteers for Israel in the 1980s and early ’90s, even finding herself in Tel Aviv at the start of the Gulf War in 1991. At home and abroad, she had a keen sense of nature and the world around her. She will be particularly missed by her grandchildren whom she loved taking on nature walks and helping them to see and appreciate the beauty of life all around them. Despite her failing health in recent years at Caressant Care, Ruth was always buoyed by music and the chance to raise her voice in song which reminded her of bygone days singing with the Sweet Adelines. Her grandchildren will cherish memories of songs around the piano with their beloved “Grandmama.” To honour Ruth’s wishes cremation has taken place. A celebration of life followed by interment at Powassan, Ontario, will be announced at a later date with arrangements entrusted to Heritage Funeral Home, Palmerston.
