Mattie Ruth Webb

Our loved one, Mattie Ruth Rose Webb, passed from this life January 24, 2013, just two months short of her 99th birthday (March 14, 1914). She will be interned next to her deceased husband Reuben Matthew “Bat” Webb, and her beloved deceased son, Bill Mord Metcalf in Melrose Abbey Cemetery in Anaheim, California. She was loved and cherished---and her strong presence will be greatly missed.

“Ruth” was the youngest of 15 children of a hearty pioneer couple who wed in Palo Pinto, Texas. Mord Rose and his wife Mary Ella farmed on the Brazos River in Texas, and relocated north to homestead land which later became the state of Oklahoma by the time Ruth was born. Growing up, Ruth’s papa was a rancher/ farmer and one time Sheriff. Ruth’s mama cooked, cleaned, sewed and kept the home for the family and hired ranch hands. Ruth lived in Orr County and attended Wilson High School, where she graduated as class Valedictorian. Ruth was also very athletic and was on the school basketball team. Ruth was an avid reader all of her life, loved driving and conversing with people. As a young woman, Ruth had a short-term marriage to Oliver Metcalf who was the brother of her sister-in-law Ruby Rose. She later met and married Reuben Matthew “Bat” Webb, and farmed with his parents until moving to California during the dust bowl period.

During WWII, Ruth served in the war effort as a Supervisor of 12 women building aircraft wings. After the war, Ruth and Bat owned and operated the Coffee Cup Café along Highway 99 in Bakersfield, California. Later, they moved to Long Beach, California where they raised granddaughters Linda and Brenda Metcalf. Ruth became a homemaker, while her husband worked in the oil fields. Eventually, Ruth and family moved to Garden Grove, California, a few blocks from Disneyland. Bat worked on a drilling crew that worked at the atomic testing site in Nevada, and commuted home on weekends. Bat Webb passed in 1965.

Ruth was widowed approximately 20 years, before meeting William “Bill” Prindle in Moscow, ID and marrying. They lived in N. W. Montana for 10 years mostly on acreage near Hamilton, MT, prior to husband Bill’s passing in 1995 (and son Bill’s passing in 1999). Ruth preferred and lived alone in Montana for the next 10 years, with the support of family and (Victor and Hamilton) community services/ friends and neighbors. At age 95 years of age, granddaughters Linda and Brenda accepted an emergency guardianship, and Ruth went to live with granddaughter Brenda Bach, R.N. in Washington state.

Brenda oversaw her total care needs and also provided 24 hour in-home care in Edmonds, Ellensburg and Sequim, WA until her passing this week. Respite caregiver Liane Brooks, Andrea Howe, long-term caregiver and friend Mitzi Bell, Volunteer Hospice R.N.’s of Clallam and Kittitas Counties (In Clallam: Gayla, Marti, Brian, Linda, Kim, Sher), primary care provider Andy Schock and Sequim physicians Dr. Allen Berry and Dr. Frank Jahns, DSHS/ HCS/ O3A, Kittitas Valley Community Hospital and Home Health; Olympic Medical Center and Home Health, local equipment and oxygen vendors, all serviced Ruth’s home care and medical needs with proficiency, compassion and amazing support! It truly takes a village! Both towns of Ellensburg and Sequim, WA proved to be great communities for providing home care teams that allowed Ruth to live and die with love, dignity and peace. The family is very grateful!

Mattie Ruth Webb is survived by daughter-in-law Aileen Metcalf; granddaughters Linda Ann Wasson, Brenda Metcalf Bach, Kateri Mattila; grandsons Billy Metcalf, Marc Metcalf, Stephen Kennedy, Michael Kennedy and Alex Tazi; nieces, Jerry Rowland, Mrs. Bud Rose (Melba); Ruth Ann Madgett; great grandchildren, Matthew Scott Wasson, Sarah Beth Roberson, Melissa and Taylor Metcalf; great-great granddaughter Alexandria Wasson, great-great grandson Timothy Trujillo. Her pre-arranged wishes for cremation will be honored and carried out by Steward and Williams in Ellensburg, WA. Obituary website viewing and comments can be located at www.steward-williams.com (http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Mattie-Webb&Ic=6914&pid=162639877&mid=5397377)

Our prayer for Ruth: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26