Ruth Springer

Ruth Springer

Ruth Springer, 93, of Havre, passed away on Tuesday, July 3, 2012, at the Care & Comfort Home of natural causes. Cremation has taken place, and memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 10, 2012, at 5th Avenue Christian Church with Chad Leathermon officiating. The family has requested that memorials be made in Ruth's name to a charity of one's choice. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements.

Ruth was born on April 14, 1919, in Spooner, Wis., to Oliver and Vera (Spaulding) Higgins. As well as being a loving and inspirational wife to her husband and best friend, Clyde, of 54 years, Ruth was a dedicated, supportive and ever-caring mother and grandmother, easing every pain and cheering every success. To her, family was everything, and activities involving her sister's family, her brother's family or the families on the Springer side were all of great significance to her.

Ruth treasured her longtime friends and was ever-grateful for the special neighbors who surrounded her cozy little Havre home and for the time she and her sister Julia spent together. She also was so appreciative of the new friends she had met during her recent stay at the Care & Comfort Home. She had managed to stay virtually independent for over 92 years.

Reading occupied a great deal of time, and working hidden word puzzles had become an enjoyable hobby in recent years. Some time was involved in the Red Hat Society, and those events and the ladies involved were very dear. Another hobby involved the decorating of her Christmas trees; every ornament had a special significance and needed to be in a certain place.

Early in Ruth's Montana years, after finishing her teaching degree, she worked in one-room schools south of Chinook and north of Havre. She had several of her husband Clyde's siblings as students at one school. Also, for a short time, Ruth worked in the telephone company's office in Havre. Upon Clyde's return from World War II and their marriage, Ruth became a full-time wife, homemaker and mom. During those years, Ruth served as a Cub Scout denmother for years and later became involved in training programs for Scout leaders in Montana and Canada. She also served as first reader for the Christian Science Church for many years.

One of the great events in Ruth's home occurred in 2001 when a displaced Shetland sheepdog puppy, named Shelton, arrived at her door. A long consideration process took place, (20 seconds), and the bond was made. Shelton became Ruth's "Hooligan Angel," and later allowed son Alan's cat, KC, to become part of the family.

Along with Ruth's caring heart, kind, gentle and optimistic spirit, her trademark may have been the meticulous attention she paid to her letter writing. She believed the extra effort to personally handwrite cards, notes and letters might say as much as the words themselves.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Clyde; her brother, Roy Higgins; and her son, Alan Springer.

She is survived by her son, Gary Springer of Havre; her grandchildren, Cory Springer and Jenna Springer, both of Billings, Mont., Brittanee Springer of Georgia and Lindsey Springer of Fort Benton, Mont.; and her sister, Julia (Vernon) Larson of Mesa, Ariz.