Obituary of Ruth Wallace Johnston
Ruth W. Johnston (nee Armstrong)
At the age of 93, Ruth passed away rather suddenly on Nov. 10, 2020. Predeceased by her husband of 56 years (Lawrence) in 2009, she was the mother of five: Marg/Maggie, Bill, Janet, Doug and Gord; grandmother to Donald, Duncan, Tom, Cameron, Chelsea and Gavin; and great grandmother to Bowen, Kaelen, and Kinsey. The third of four children, Ruth grew up in Waterloo, Ontario where she graduated from Kitchener Collegiate Institute. She subsequently attended the University of Toronto where she became certified as a physiotherapist, working largely with polio victims. It was work that took her to Edmonton, Alberta; London England; and Hamilton, Ontario. Married in 1952, she worked in the home and raised her children, as was often the case in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Yet her love of learning, her sharp intellect, as well as her undying interest in current affairs and injustices in the world kept her an avid listener to CBC radio while in the home: interests she passed on to her children.
She maintained her close connection with the Presbyterian Church throughout, and spoke frequently about how much she enjoyed the mix of people of different ages with whom she had become acquainted over the last 15 years at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in N.O.T.L.
It was Ruth’s love for learning, and curiosity that, with five children at home, led her to enroll in advanced computer science courses at the University of Waterloo in the 1970’s, where she easily excelled. Her understated, often apologetic manner may have disguised her intelligence to others, but it did not fool those closest to her. Perhaps it was the juxtaposition of her humbled self-presentation and caring for others, accompanied by such knowledge and intellect that made her who she was. Nonetheless, it was also one of her most alluring qualities to all who had the privilege of knowing her, of talking with her, laughing with her, of spending quality time with her - and time spent with Ruth was always quality time. She will be sorely missed.
