Ruth Elizabeth Tisdel

She was a young woman during World War II and loved to go to USO dances at Indiantown Gap. One night she met a tall, handsome soldier who became smitten with her, and on December 13, 1944 near the end of the war, 5'0 Ruth married 6'2 Tom Tisdel in Blaine, Washington. After their marriage they returned to Pennsylvania where their daughter Kay was born, but not finding work, and having a job waiting in Seattle, they returned to Seattle where Mom became part of Tom's large and loving family.

Their first Seattle home was in housing provided for GIs returning from WWII (the projects) where they made life-long friends with the families of other returning GIs. A few years later little sister Marna arrived and they later purchased a home and put down roots in the Rainier Valley.

She will be missed by many friends and family, one of whom she has known since those years in the projects, Joyce Jackson. Mom and Joyce had their hair done and played cards every Wednesday for more than 30 years. Mom lived in her own home until 5 years ago when she moved to an apartment at Exeter House where she explored new interests such as art and anything else Emily Keene, the activities director, had to offer.

Mom was quiet, but fun-loving. She liked to be on the go with Metro bus rides to downtown Seattle, picnics at the lake, Sunday drives to look for forts, or travelling to Canada, Europe and Mexico, and she also really enjoyed watching the Mariners and Wheel of Fortune on TV. We could not have had a better mom. She loved us unconditionally and gave us her sense of fun and travel. When we married she embraced her sons-in-law John Martin and Bill Boyd wholeheartedly. They in turn worked hard to please her by playing dominoes and endless card games. They also knew that they needed to treat her daughters well or face the wrath of "Ruthie."

In mid-November during Mom's annual checkup she told her doctor that she was feeling sassy which was so typical of her, but within a month she complained that she was tired all the time and just didn't have any pep. During these last two weeks her vitality declined rather quickly and we checked her into the hospital on December 22nd and five days later on December 27, 2015, she peacefully passed away in her sleep.

With her death we can now reveal her age - a secret she guarded zealously. She was 98 years old, born May 6, 1917.