RICHARDS, Ruth Barbara – 66, Middle Stewiacke, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, on Friday, November 30, 2012, at Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro. Born March 7, 1946, in Tatamagouche, she was a daughter of the late Wilson and Nellie (Tattrie) Richards. Ruth began her career with Federal Pioneer and in recent years worked at Wynn Park Villa from where she retired in 2010. She was a member of Red Hatters Society where she made many special friends and enjoyed many outings. An avid outdoorswoman, she loved to fish and spending time at the camp in Lochiel Lake that she often commented was her favourite place to be. Not one to sit idle, Ruth loved to be on the go and could be seen “running the roads” and racking up the miles on her car. Ruth is survived by her common-law spouse, Vaughan MacKean, Thorburn; sons, Eric Short (Denise Harvey), Truro; Danny (Anna) Short, Middle Stewiacke; grandchildren, Michael MacQueen, Shea-lynn Short, Colin Short, Kyle Short; step-grandchildren, Justin Harvey, Carry Dobson; siblings, Jim Richards (Vangie York), Masstown; Courtney (Paulette) Richards, Hilden; Sterling (Debbie) Richards, Kemptown; Pearl (Gary) Slack, Folly Mountain; Dorothy Richards (Gordon Ennis), Portapique; Crystal Richards, Red Deer, Alberta; Vaughan’s sons, Darren MacKean (Leigh MacBeth), Kirk Mountain; Duane (Brenda) MacKean, Grande Prairie, Alberta. A private graveside service will be held in Wentworth Baptist Church Cemetery, Wentworth. If so desired, donations in Ruth’s memory to Breast Cancer Research are welcomed. Arrangements have been entrusted to Mattatall ~ Varner Funeral Home, 55 Young Street, Truro. Private messages of condolence may be sent to the family by viewing Ruth’s obituary on-line and selecting “Send A Condolence” at: www.mattatallvarnerfh.com