Ruth N. Weaver

R​uth N. Weaver, died Friday morning. It seemed peaceful based on her serene face--she stopped breathing about 4 am. Fr. Holmes had given her the Sacrament of the Sick just about a week before. I think she was ready to "go home" as she often talked about that. She would have been 106 at Christmastime.

She grew up in Texas where she met my Dad, who went by "Van." They lived in Ohio, D.C, Virginia, Newfoundland, and Georgia while he was in the Army Air Corps and US Air Force, and Annandale again for many years after he retired. She moved to Fredericksburg in the late 90's and then into assisted living here for the last 15 years. She has been a member of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception parish since her move.

She's happy now in Heaven with Jesus and Mary, Dad and her beloved Mother, Maude Ruth Sr., daughter Billie, grandchildren Cate, Robert and Stephen, brother Fred, (AKA "Bubba,") sister Nellie, her husband, Leonard, their children ​,​ Susan, Kathy, and Mary Lynn, dear friends Anne Covel, Jane Jennings, Natalie Maas, Frank Niederkofler, John Paul, John Scott, and all the saints! And she leaves behind literally dozens of relatives and hundreds of other friends, including Sher, Judy, Rose Mary, Maria, Teresa, Marcia, Susanne, and Paula. ​ She was eligible for Colonial Dames and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a descendent of Thaddeus ​Kosciusko, the "Peasant Prince," and Abraham Pierson, one of the founders of the Collegiate School, the forerunner of Yale University. One Aunt said they were descendants of Charlemagne!

She was the consummate nature lover, having grown flower cuttings from age 5, raising chickens, ​always having at least one dog, cats, a turtle, and ​once having ​more than 17 parakeets ​ at one time​. A member of ​the Women's Club and ​Virginia Garden Club for many years, she was also an organic gardening advocate before the term became known. She turned a yard of red clay into the richest dirt around, egg shell by egg shell, coffee grounds ​, leaves and ​ layers of newspaper mulch, day by day.

She worked at the polls and the schools, led Brownie troops and cared for Dad in his infirmity, feeding him twice a day at least ​, over​ at his nursing home. She was his " F​irst ​L​ady" when he was Base Commander in Argentia, and no doubt kept everyone in stitches! ​She always loved watermelon! In Georgia ​ ​made watermelon pickles and her mother's favorite "Divinity" candy, and "stuffed dates" with fancy Texas pecans her sister would send every Christmas. She loved Midnight Mass then, too, always wanting to celebrate the European way that her Dad preferred.

She was interested in being a good mother. She treasured her children. Learning about medicine was inherited from a great-great? grandmother who was a midwife on horseback. Growing up in a TB sanatorium-town ​forced her to be careful of germs, a lifelong concern ​ learned from her mother​. She had a "natural" childbirth in 1949, and nursed all of her children, giving them a very loving and healthy start in life. She was fascinated by child development, teaching every moment she could, allowing cooking ​ "help"/experiments ​ ​even with her two-year-olds, ​"Maria ​Montessori-at-Home ​"​ style.

Arts and crafts, her outdoor garden and indoor potted plants, were constants. Reading books and two or three newspapers everyday from the age of 5, (until it was too hard to see well and her crippled hands couldn't hold them anymore,) and teaching reading to young schoolchildren--her "Book Buddies"--were great joys. She loved singing with the HeartBeats, directed by dear friend Jane Jennings, enjoying visits from her many relatives and friends, saying the Rosary and attending the Mass at her assisted living homes, and keeping up with the news every day no-matter what, filled her last 15 years with companionship and busyness. She touched many, many lives, leading by example, but often with frankness. ("Get that hair out of your eyes!")

She collected dirt from around the world, baking it to kill any germs; last-names-that-were-real-words to "write a book from" someday, and every letter and card ever written to her. She was a real product of the Depression, influencing all of her children! "You might need that someday!" "There are children starving in China! Eat your food!" which was echoed by Daddy saying "Eat your plate!" in the style of his New England mother's heritage.

In lieu of flowers, please feed and water wild birds, plant flowers and trees, save water, turn off lights, WASH YOUR HANDS, and consider donating to Mary's Shelter (marysshelterva.org) which helps single mothers, a cause dear to her heart, and Families of the Wounded Fund, Inc (fotwf.org) for the many years of her service as the wife of an USAF Colonel.

A Rosary (6-6:30) and visitation (6:30-8 pm) will be held Wednesday, Nov. 4, at Mullins & Thompson on Rt 1 at Rt 3 in Fredericksburg. The funeral Mass will be held Thursday, Nov. 5, at 11 am with Fr. Stephen Holmes. Her family, JVO, Sharon, Judith, Sarah, Heather, Jack and Kaleph, Jessica, Charlie, Peter, Matthew, Emma, Mary, Jim, Geoff, Becky, Jackson, Josie Anna, Gunner, Virginia Ruth, Emily, Theo, Ellie, Lily, Vanessa, and Zeph will be there from across the country. Others wished they could have joined in the Mass. Interment with Van will be at some undetermined date at the convenience of Arlington National Cemetery.

Thank you for your friendships with her, direct and indirect. Prayers for her and the rest of the family, of course, are welcomed and appreciated.