Ruth Anne Gibson, born October 11, 1934, in Elmworth, AB, passed away on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at the Beaverlodge Municipal Hospital, at the age of 90.

Ruth's parents immigrated from Poland and settled on a farm in the Elmworth area, where Ruth and her nine siblings were born. Hard work and a simple life were the norm during those times, and Ruth had a huge respect for her hard-working parents.

Seeking a career in nursing, Ruth graduated from Kamloops Hospital in 1959 with a Diploma in Psychiatry and a postgraduate course in OR.

She moved to Richmond, BC, to work at a hospital there. On an August evening in 1965, Ruth went to an event at a nearby hall and met a handsome Irish lad who asked her to dance. By the end of the evening, he asked if he could see her again, and on December 18, 1965, Ruth married Wally Gibson.

The couple moved to a farm in Elmworth where they grew crops and raised cattle. Ruth commuted to Grande Prairie hospital, where she worked in the Operating Room. She would stay in a residence throughout the week and go home for the weekend unless she was on call.

Eventually, an opening in the OR at the Beaverlodge Hospital became available. Ruth joined the staff there. Once again, staying in the nurse’s residence if she was on call or if the winter roads to Elmworth were bad.

In 1979, Ruth was offered the position of Director of Nursing for the Beaverlodge Hospital. During this tenure, she worked to establish the Beaverlodge Hospital Foundation and the opening of the still operational Beaverlodge Thrift Shop.

In 1988, Ruth and Wally moved from the farm to a house in Beaverlodge, and in 1997, Ruth retired from her position as DON but continued to work as a casual RN.

Together, they enjoyed many years of vacationing in Yuma, where they had a great circle of friends.  At home, Ruth tended her garden and created intricate petit point pictures, many of which depicted Wally's beloved Ireland.

Wally passed away in 2022, and Ruth moved to a cozy little room at the Hythe Pioneer Home. She very much enjoyed her new abode, puzzle making, sing-alongs, and spoke often of how wonderful the staff were to her.

Ruth was truly dedicated to the profession of nursing, to the patients she served, the staff she worked with, and to her community. 

She is survived by her brothers Tom and Ed Kulicki and sisters Betty Hayes and Jane Quinn, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Ruth will be forever remembered by her co-workers at the Beaverlodge hospital, for she was an inspiration to us all.

Ruth had the wittiest sense of humour, the heartiest laugh, and loved to sing. One of her best pieces of advice was “What is the sense of complaining, it serves no purpose.” We can all benefit from Ruth's view of seeing the good in all things.

Her ashes will be interred with her beloved Wally at the Riverbend Cemetery at a private gathering.

Rest in peace, dear friend.