Peacefully on March 12, 2020 our beloved mother Ruby Virginia Kozub passed away in her 100th year after a prolonged period of time being cared for by the Tufford Nursing Home. Leaving her parents and 8 brothers and sisters behind, Martin, Wilfred, Theresa, Luke, Esther, Deanna, David, and Wayne. Mom decided to move from her original Broderick, Saskatchewan prairie wheat farm home to Hamilton ON at age 17 where her life’s adventures began. She picked fruit and worked in the area canning factories “living on peanut butter sandwiches while stuffing cardboard in her shoes to cover up the holes in her soles”.
Never to accept “NO” for an answer, Ruby applied several times a week to General Motors before being hired the first time on the Victory spark plug line at the Ontario St. plant. Mom and Dad were married December 24, 1943 while he was on furlough from the army before being shipped out to Sydney, Nova Scotia. Ruby worked at GM until the family came along. We lived in Thorold South before they purchased their life-long home on Vale Ave. in St. Catharines.
Mom was the matriarch of the street with wonderful caring neighbours. Sitting on the porch in an evening sharing news and troubles, everyone was there for each other in those days. The blue cookie tin was always full of homemade cowboy cookies and she always had time to listen. Neighbours who moved away often came back for a fortune tea cup reading update as so much of what she read in their cups came true. There was always an open door policy at our house and everyone loved her. When Ron and Donna were finally in school full time, Mom was rehired at GM for the second time.
Dad died of a heart attack on February 8, 1965 leaving Mom with three children including 7-year-old David. She found work at the Army Camp in Niagara-on-the-Lake working the 5:00 a.m. breakfast shift with 2 sister-in-laws. Other employers were Zellers at the new Fairview Mall in the dark stockroom ticketing merchandise and at the Parkway Lanes Bowling Alley in the coffee shop. Mom sold Watkins Products, Electrolux Vacuum Cleaners and Floor Polishers, and cleaned houses to make ends meet. These jobs however did not pay all the bills.
In 1968 at age 48 she was hired by TRW Thompson Products as a matron and worked there until she retired at 63 years of age.
Ruby was a lifelong member of Calvary Church, carrying her zippered white bible to church every week. She faithfully sent us to Sunday School in our pristine outfits and brought us up to be responsible, credible individuals.
We give our mother an A++ for a life of excellence. She never let life get her down. Generous, encouraging and always optimistic, ready to lend a hand. Extremely proud of her 3 children, 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. She gave us 99 wonderful years and we are grateful. Ruby will be sadly missed by many nieces, nephews, friends and family.
God Bless You Mom – We will see you on the other side.
A celebration of her life will take place at a later date.
Thank you to the staff at Tufford Manor Nursing Home for their outstanding compassion and care.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18