Obituary of Ruth Ann Tenborg

Peace Country Pioneer Passes Ruth Ann McKibben/Tenborg, nee Fellers Ruth (Ann) Tenborg passed away peacefully at the age of 94 years on April 25th, 2014 at Rotary Manor. Prior to 2007, Ruth was fiercely independent living in her own home on 8th Street in Dawson Creek. In her eighties she drove her own car, operated her own lawn mower and snow blower and managed her household. In early 2007, her home on 8th Street was destroyed by fire, with members of the fire department finding her standing barefooted in the snow. Subsequent to the fire, the family arranged for Ruth to move into an extended care facility, the Peace River Haven in Pouce Coupe. While in the Peace River Haven, Ruth really enjoyed visits by her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. As her dementia advanced, Ruth became more and more remote and increasingly confused. However, she never lost her independent spirit and her strongly held opinions. Ruth married Clarence Melvin McKibben in 1938 after meeting him at a dance at Fellers Heights. In 1940 Keith was born and two years later Carol was born. In 1947, Clarence was sent to the TB Sanitarium in Kamloops, where he died of lung cancer shortly after arriving. Melvina, whose name comes from her father's name Melvin, was born in early 1948 shortly after Clarence's passing. In 1950, Ruth married Hank Tenborg, a widower and moved to his home on the Kiskatinaw River. Ruth and Hank's combined family initially included ten children. There were three from her previous marriage, Keith, Carole and Melvina. In addition from Hank's previous marriage there were seven children, Maurice, Julia, Marjorie, Donnie, Henrietta, Dorothy and Allan. Ruth and Hank then had two sons of their own Kenny, who died at three months of pneumonia and Gary born in 1956. Despite the large number of children, Ruth and Hank's parenting passed on to all of their children a strong work ethic and solid family values. In 1981, Hank passed away suddenly as result of a heart attack. After Hank's passing Ruth took great joy in visiting with her combined family, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She always liked to travel and visited Oregon, where she enjoyed riding in dune buggies and feeding raccoons pizza. She visited eastern Canada and the US in the fall to take in the autumn colours, eating lobster at a lobster pound and drinking wine that was concealed in a brown bag. Ruth is survived by: Keith (Cathy) McKibben, Carole (Charlie) Hamilton, Melvina (David) Lane, Maurice (Edith), Marjorie, Donnie (Julie), Henrietta, Dorothy (Eddie), Allan (Elaine) & Gary and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Ruth was by any measure a Peace Country pioneer. While by modern day standards her life would be said to be hard, she had a huge work ethic and always was strongly independent. As Ruth's dementia advanced she often commented that she wanted to just go to sleep and not wake up. This past week, that is what took place. It seems correct to say that if Ruth could now speak she would be saying miss me but let me go. With respect to Ruth's wishes no formal funeral service will be held. All of the family extends their sincere thanks to the caregivers at both the Peace River Haven and more recently the Rotary Manor for the exceptional and compassionate care that they provided to Ruth over the past seven years. Very Respectfully Reynars Funeral Home & Crematorium