Susan Eden
Fondest Memory of Ruth
From the day I met Ruth, after Ryan and Katie had first married, I felt such a warmth and embracement from her. Her joy that her daughter had found her love was totally captivated in her smile and gracious words. I was full of the greatest joy in welcoming Katie to our family, and my love for her grows in bushels throughout every moment we share. Every visit with Ruth from that point was one of great chatter about our shared love of being teachers throughout our years, touching the lives of the students and the return of those touching our lives. As the years passed, we shared our focus on our retirement from the brisk schedule demanded within the field as we reached those years of slowing down.
Then, we welcomed the greatest reward from the union of Ryan and Katie in the births of our shared grandchildren, Alana and Asher. Ruth was such a loving, caring and gracious Grandmother of Alana and all her wonderful attributes that make her who she is today; Ruth had this way of placing the best descriptions of Alana’s attributes with words such as ‘You were born to run! She is a total athlete.’ ‘Alana is so beautiful inside and out.’
As Ruth and I shared Asher’s first visit to Albuquerque to visit Katie’s sister, Ashlee and her children, her gentleness was so evident to me in how she delighted in Asher’s little features and her love for him washed over him in those moments we shared as he laid and played on the floor. Future Facebook comments included, ‘I foresee no problem getting him to love sports. He sure is adorable and teachable, too! Love that dear little boy!!’
As I searched for the quotes from Ruth, I realize that we both were on Team Ryan, Katie, Alana and Asher throughout their journey as a family that is so instilled with the Love that Ruth passed along through her beautiful, and most loving daughter, Katie, a woman who takes her role as a wife and mother to the greatest, most gracious lengths of commitment and care for my son, Ryan, and her children, Alana and Asher. Thank you, Ruth, for all your legacy has left us to continue to embrace and to fill our days. Love you, dearly.