Grandma Ruth

Dear Linda, Paul & Janet,

First off, I wish I could be giving you all the biggest hugs right now. I offer my deepest condolences... but I know it’s like a bandaid on the biggest heartache.

As you may or may not know, I always called your mom Grandma Ruth & had an unspoken bond with both her & your Dad. I never thought about the origins of that, it’s just what I grew up with - your parents were like grandparents when it came to unconditional love and guidance. My mom recently told me about a conversation she had when your mom was holding me as I was a baby, asking if they could be surrogate grandparents for ‘her side’ because she didn’t have family in Calgary. She quickly said yes and that’s where that term was born.

I was so fortunate to receive the genuine love and caring from Grandma Ruth, and your Dad too. Grandma Ruth was always the smallest, most jovial human! Her smile and little shake she gave me while squeeze hugging me always put an instant smile on my face. Her exuberance balanced out the calm of your Dad’s hugs - but regardless, both their hugs were full of love, pure kindness and proud looks. From eating cookies in the kitchen to playing outside in the yard, I have many fond memories at the house, and she never forget my birthday.

I’m sad I wasn’t able to see Grandma Ruth this past year but I’m beyond happy to have soooo many memories to hold onto. From the picture of your parents that has been proudly sitting on my bookshelf for well over a decade, to a more recent memory of me noticing Grandma Ruth laughing a few rows up from me at the movie theatre - and me making sure to say hi & get a hug before she got back on the bus home to Amica.

These words don’t even begin to do my love justice but I hope you understand. Thank you for sharing your mom (and dad) with me.

Ps - while this letter was addressed to you three, it is also meant for the entire amazing large family I was so fortunate to grow up with.

Ruth Storey was a titan of kindness, optimism, and love.

I had the very great pleasure to spend several years with Ruth during our time at Amica Aspen Woods, where I had the even bigger pleasure of working with her in the choir. Her voice was absolutely beautiful, but she brought so much more than that. Anytime she walked into a practice, or meeting for a performance, she lit up every space we were in. She was so open-minded, and I could count on her anytime I introduced a song no one had heard of to rally the troops and give it a try. And how very glamorous she was on our evening trips to the Philharmonic. Even during the pandemic, Ruth was out on her patio for every patio party singing and dancing along. Ruth made every experience we shared a delightful one, that I won't forget.

And the way she talked about her family. Pure love. She is an example for all of us. And with the world the way it is today, we need to look to folks like Ruth more than ever.

To Janet, Linda, and all of the rest of the wonderful Storey clan - I can't imagine how difficult this must be - I hope you can take at least some solace knowing what an overwhelmingly positive impact she has had on so many.

Ruth, 'til we meet again, my dear friend.

Love Tony