Tribute

Ruth Ingrid Hopping (Simonsen)
1932 – 2020

Our beautiful Mom, Ruth Ingrid Hopping (Simonsen) passed away peacefully in her own home on Salt Spring Island
March 27, 2020.

Ruth was born on October 1st 1932 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Born to Ragna and Gustav Simonsen, hard working Norwegian immigrants, Ruth and her three older and protective brothers helped run the family grocery store. The family helped during the depression by feeding families with IOU’s which contributed to Ruth’s strong sense of compassion for others, human and animal alike.

Ruth only had fond memories of her childhood, spending summers at the family cottage on Loon Lake swimming with her best freind Jannie. At 7 Ruth got her first boyfriend and first kiss.

From 1951-1954 She attended the University of Toronto where she earned her certification for Physio and Occupational Therapy. Through a blind date in 1955, Ruth met the love of her life, our Dad Arthur Samuel Hopping. After he relentlessly wore her down, she married him in 1957.  Following the call of the ocean, Ruth and Art moved to Vancouver the same year. Mom took a leave of absence from work to raise their three children, Karen (1958), Eric (1960) and Kris (1963). In 1970, her and her best freind Pat Merrifield took a refresher course and went back to work at GF Strong working with Cerebral Palsy Children.

In 1971 Ruth and Art bought their first sailboat and our family of 5, plus the family dog, spent many summers sailing the coast of B.C. This is how they found Salt Spring Island and In 1981 they moved to Salt Spring Island and built there ocean front dream house on Southey Point. Very sadly in 1987, Ruth lost Art to Cancer which broke her heart. She remained in her Southey Point home until 2009 when she moved to her beautiful waterfront condo in Ganges where she remained until the day she passed.

Ruth loved to swim in the ocean, walk her dogs, and enjoyed playing golf and tennis. She liked to playing Crib and Scrabble as well as teaching and playing Bridge with her many friends. She also became an enthusiastic member of the Island Mahjong scene. She loved to sing and play the piano and spent many years singing soprano in The Salt Spring Singers. Ruth was on countless committees, boards and clubs including The Hospice Society, Grandmother for Grandmothers, she organized the program of speakers for the Salt Spring chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW), was an Artspring and Lady Minto Hospital Benefactor, Volunteered with Island Comfort Quilts,  the local African aid Non-profit  Salt Spring Organization for Life Improvement and Development (SOLID), and rarely  missed volunteering at The Fall Fair.

Above all else, Ruth will be remembered for her quick wit and amazing sense of humour. She was extremely fun loving and surrounded herself with friends and family and could often be found happily socializing with a glass of wine or scotch. She always stood out in a crowd with her bright cheerful clothing and contagious laugh. She referred to herself as a “bit of a devil” and the mischievous twinkle in her eyes backed that up.

Ruth will be greatly missed by her family and her many, many, many friends. Ruth is survived by her children Karen Hopping Siu (Alex), Eric (Uschi) and Kris Hopping, Grandchildren Karsten and Britt Siu and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded by her Husband Arthur “Art”, her brothers Arnie, Leif, Erling and two infant sisters.

A date and location for Ruth’s Celebration of life will be announced when we can safely gather again. Please make donations in her name to The Lady Minto Hospital Foundation or the local SPCA.