Obituary of Ruby Cathrine Wideman

Wideman – Ruby Cathrine Wideman passed away in Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at the age of 99 years. Ruby was born on July 24, 1916 at Red Deer, Alberta (Hillsdown) to William and Eleanora Snyder. There were fifteen children in the Snyder family. The family moved to a farm east of Didsbury, Alberta shortly after this time. Ruby did her schooling at the Grand Centre School which was over two miles from home. On July 3, 1935 she married Harvey Wideman from Castor, Alberta who she had met while he attended Bible School in Didsbury. They started their life together on a farm at Bergen, Alberta. Harvey also did some logging at Water Valley and Ruby cooked for the crew. As a result of this work they were able to build a new barn and house. They moved to Castor, Alberta in 1954. This became a traumatic time for Ruby because Harvey spent six weeks in the Didsbury Hospital because he had broken his leg while loading a feed cutter to bring to Castor so she was on the farm by herself with some help from her father. Harvey was transferred to the Castor Hospital and during this time they had a hired man from Berrymoor to help with the spring work. In 1964 they built a new house on the farm near Castor. They did a lot of travelling and sight seeing to many places in Canada and other countries. Ruby loved music, gardening, quilting, reading, playing games and doing puzzles of all kinds. She especially loved to receive beautiful bouquets of flowers. Ruby was a real people person and enjoyed all the visits from her many friends and family. She also spent some time working at the Paintearth Lodge. She was very active in her church, the Castor Evangelical Missionary, teaching and using her leadership abilities. Predeceased by her loving husband Harvey (2002); daughter Evelyn (1940); one son in law; two grandsons; eight brothers; three sisters; seven brothers in law and nine sisters in law; Ruby was a very dedicated and praying mother to six children: Evelyn, Marion (Allan Grant), Lavern (Nadene), Maynard (Edna), Loretta (Stan Brooks), Chester (Trudy); seventeen grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. She is also survived by three sisters; two sisters in law; one brother in law and many nieces and nephews. She lived a long, abundant life and her last BIG wish was to live to celebrate her 100th birthday this coming July… but her Lord and Saviour took her home.