After a life well lived, our mother, Ruby Stack, of Kamloops passed away peacefully early in the morning September 18, in her 87th year.

Mom was born and raised in the Cariboo. Along with her six siblings they survived off the land during the depression years homesteading in a remote area east of Quesnel.

As a teenager, Mom learned to be a cook at a hotel in Wells, B.C. and it was with this experience that she was hired by the owner of Cale Creek Sawmill to be the logging camp cook. She was the only female in camp. One of her favourite stories from this time was having to use a .22 rifle to shoot a black bear that was charging towards her at the cookhouse kitchen door.

From the Cariboo she went to work at the Kelowna General Hospital during the Second World War, and it was during this time she met her future husband, Frederick Stack. On their way to Kamloops in early 1948, they stopped off in Vernon to get married.

Dad had taken a job with B.C. Interior Sawmills on Mission Flats, where they were given a one room cabin to set up home. It was an auspicious beginning as they were directly affected by the great flood of 1948. The first two of their seven children were born while they lived there.

In the spring of 1952 they moved to an acreage on the north shore on what is now York Avenue. Over the next several years the house was finished as funds became available and the remaining five children were born.

As dad spent long days driving logging trucks, mom filled her days raising the seven children while running a truck farm and preserving enough food to get the family through the long winters and spring. Mom was also an accomplished seamstress, and used these skills to keep the whole family in clothes.

The family enjoyed occasional day trips to the Shuswap and camping trips to Niskonlith Lake and elsewhere.

Dad passed away in 1975 and mom went to work full time at Blue Ribbon Cleaners putting her seamstress skills to good use. With what spare time she had mom continued to indulge her passion for gardening, tending to her flowers, vegetables and fruits.

In 1993 she moved to a granny flat in the new home of her youngest daughter in Bachelor Heights. Here she recreated her incredible flower gardens much to the delight and envy of all those who saw them. A favourite pastime was having morning coffee on her patio overlooking the gardens and the panoramic view of the valley.

Ruby also loved the annual August visits by Gregory, when they would pack up the travel trailer to explore B.C., Alberta and the Yukon, often with the grandchildren along for the ride.

Mom was an incredible cook and baker, and well into her eighties she was delighting her children and the grandchildren with her goodies.

Mom had a special relationship with three of her grandchildren - Bonnie, Taylor and Carson - whom she helped to raise. Mom always enjoyed her time with all the grandchildren whenever they visited.

She is survived by her seven children: Gregory Stack, Ottawa; Suzanne Powell, Kamloops; Kenneth (Nancy) Stack, Kamloops; Arthur (Jayne) Stack, Kamloops; Martin (Marian) Stack, Richmond; Trudy (Russell) McGill, Kelowna; and Heather (Kelly) Shantz, Kamloops. She is also survived by her 11 grandchildren: Bonnie, Leah, Tanya, Koen, Justin, Steven, Kevin, Andrew, Michael, Taylor and Carson; and grandpuppy Cooper. As well, mom is survived by her sister Patricia Pierce, Kelowna.

As was her wish, there will be no formal service. Cremation has taken place, and at a later date her ashes will be scattered at her favourite lake to be with those of her late husband.

The family would like to thank the staff of Marjorie Willoughby Snowden Hospice for their compassionate care of mom in her last remaining days.

In lieu of flowers, donations in mom's memory to the Kamloops Hospice Association, 72 Whiteshield Crescent South, Kamloops, B.C., V2E 2S9, would be appreciated.

Condolences may be expressed to www.schoenings.com

Arrangements entrusted to Schoening Funeral Service, 250-374-1452.

Mom's favourite sayings were
"I spent most of my time in the garden...the rest I wasted."
and
"It was prettier in the
(seed) catalogue."