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& e e e amiarome oo ' Ruth M lebrates century of lif + See Ruth Massey on page 3 bonds of the stories that made up their along. assured the girls that they would get along For his part, Lloyd had been a . childhoods with their mother, Ruth and "She provided miles of ideas for things to . somehow with God‘s provision. j cheesemaker during the Depression in . father, Lloyd. do, places to go on the farm. The farm was That faith in God has been a lifelong f Wagarville near Sharbot Lake. Linda recalls how her dad and his | rich with fields to walk, flowers to discover, â€" source of strength for the family. [ i According to family lore Lloyd was on a younger brother Dean always told each . trees to climb, gardens to raid, dogs, cats, Once the children were all off to school, harvest excursion seeking work and got a . other jokes, the funny, slapping â€"theâ€"knee . cattle and chickens to pester." Then there Ruth taught throughout Peterborough job on the Elsey family farm. Ruth was _ kind of jokes. Both being farmers they had _ was the big barn where they would sneak in . County as a supply teacher, and was much cooking the meal in the absence of her â€" a camaraderie as well as a strong brotherly . and jump up and down on the bales of hay. loved by her many students. She started the parents one evening and he came in with â€" love. She can see them yet in the kitchen by . until they were caught and disciplined. first mission band and organized yearly hired hands to eat. One look at her, and he â€" the woodstove, laughing and enjoying being There were also the pony and cartâ€"a . bales of clothing and supplies to be sent to $ was in love. She had lovely curly hair, was ‘together as her Mom and Aunt Agnes had â€" wonder to any city child, and a portable. Hay River N. W. T. She was the church y very pretty, and a good cook. He was tea and prepared the meal. building they called the dance hall because . _pianist for many years and organized and: _ smitten. After a lengthy courtship, and Ruth, being of Scottish descent, perhaps , of its shining floors, j t led both youth and adult choirs. Her many. many letters they married on Ruth‘s 29th â€" was more serious, particular and proper And when the day‘s adventures were hobbies included beachcombing,‘ birthday in 1936. > ‘ ‘than herâ€" husband, Lloyd, but ‘she done there was always the warm farmhouse gardening, sewing, and walking in the After the wedding they boarded the train â€" nevertheless appreciated a ‘good laugh says â€" waiting for them whenâ€"they got back, the . woods, camping, boating, and traveling, !~ ; | for Ontario returning to Wagerville, where ~ Lloyd‘s sister Helen Smith. smell of good, homeâ€"cooked food, hot baths Ruth was an avid reader and well versed . | | Lloyd once again worked in the cheese Lloyd and Ruth always took helped out. and hairâ€"washes, a change of clothes or on many subjects. She rarely missed t | factory. C with Helen‘s kids because there were seven â€" bandâ€"aid if needed. reading the evening paper. ... 6 l ~It was a time when life was hard, but of them. They loved to come out to the Rosemary says, "I learned a lot from her Her kindness and hospitality were well | neighbors were generous and supportive. . Massey farm and run and play in the open about how life should be lived and these â€" known to relatives, friends and neighbors, | Many stories are told of those who helped . fields and hay mow. At age 93, Helen is the â€"experiences became part of my own life and . many of whom had a meal at her table. She‘ | by bringing meat and vegetables to Ruth only other member of that generation . character and have been reproduced in my . spent many hours helping with suppers at | and Lloyd as they struggled to establish remaining. She lives with her daughter in . own family." the church and for endless years played for | roots and build a life in Ontario. Regina, > Helen remembers a visit made by Lloyd. . and helped with Christmas concerts at the 1 It was nine years before the couple The holiday out in the country was a big â€" and Ruth on June 2, 1953. They came in to â€" church, She visited shutâ€"ins for years when experienced the joy of their first daughter, â€"deal for the Smith kids. Holidays were rare ~see Helen‘s new baby Ruth, born April 22,. (she was well into hereighties. (Os °..\ Linda. They were now living in Brantford. _ in the fifties. It was a chance to stretch out . and named after her aunt. Helen and older She enjoyed exhibiting at the fairâ€" _ Younger sister, Meda had. a more|. in wideâ€"open spaces, have adventures with daughter Rosemary both remember a whole. . particularly flowers and baking, t M intriguing introduction toâ€"life. farm and wild animals, eat delicious farm. lot of oohing & aahing over the new baby She supported the blind mission for She was born in the back kitchen of the _ cooking. For Rosemary it was also a time to girl. years and followed the work of Billy f family home in Peterborough four years . try to keep up with her cousins, Linda and They also remember a lot of oohing & . Graham and other evangelists. Liugk‘ later with help from Daisy Stewart. The . Meda both of whom she idolized, along with aahing over something else. Helen‘s In 1978 after fortyâ€"two years of marriage doctor arrived just in time to take Meda to . her big sister and brother, Marguerite & . husband had purchased one of the first Lloyd passed away. Though Ruth was the hospital. Lloyd tagged along inâ€"a second . Eric. colour TV sets in the city of Peterborough deeply grieved she kept busy closing f vehicle with Ruth. Rosemary has vivid memories of her . and the young Queen Elizabeth was being Lloyd‘s business, selling the old home and, Together Lindaâ€"and Meda have five . times on the farm. A { crowned that day! All heads were crowded . having an auction as well as planning and children and nine grandchildren. Aunt Ruth had a noâ€"nonsense way of _ around that set to view all that splendourâ€" designing a new home, and taking trips to, : Their only brother, Garry, died in an managing the kids and all their ups and _ and in colour! Europe and China. y accident at age five. : downs, remembers Rosemary. She wiped Linda remembers one day her mother Being a close family was always Tt was a time when families were close.. |away many a tear, from hurts physical or. . was resting after a busy fall.of.canning food. important to Ruth‘. She loved all of her The Masseys continue to be tied by the emotional, and made sure they all got â€" for winter. Suddenly Linda heard a terrible â€" family dearly and in later years spent many > Ail J ie 0e o le.»cl 1 crash in the basement. happy hours with grandchildren taking . « Family members ran down and saw that . them sledding, or skating on the pond as a shelf had broken and all their food lay in a . she had‘done with her own children. a 2 heap of glass mixed with beet juice, She was known to dressâ€"up on more than tomatoes, beans, pickles, peaches, ‘one octasion tricking most close friends 4 raspberries. Tt was a mess. More than that, â€" and neighbors especially at Halloween. Shg everyone knew how much the family relied.â€" took time to listen, to laugh, to share a stony on those jars for its winter food. Linda . or smell a rose. m L $6+ remembers her father just grabbed a shovel Ruth has lived in the nursing homeâ€"t and started cleaning it up. Her mom . Warkworth for seven years. 394