Ruth T. (Gardiner) Buck, 87

Ruth T. (Gardiner) Buck, 87, of Hot Springs, passed away on Monday, Dec. 27, 2004, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Polson.

Ruth was born in Red Deer, Alberta, on Dec. 14, 1917, to Clara and Vince Gardiner. The family moved to North Dakota and then eventually settled in the Flathead Valley. She attended and graduated from Flathead County High School in 1933. Her class was the first class to hold their commencement ceremony in the present Flathead High School auditorium.

Ruth received her bachelor's degree in education from Western Montana College in Dillon.

Ruth married Howard Buck in 1955 and they spent 49 wonderful years together.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, John Dolan and Earl Gardiner; and two sisters, Mildred Roberts and Myrtle Paulding.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Howard Buck, of Hot Springs; her daughters and their husbands, Claire Massey and husband, Bill, of Hot Springs, Kathy Andrews and husband, Colin, of Kalispell, and Donna Andrews and husband, Steve, of Kalispell; her sister, Irene Benson, of Billings; nine grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Ruth was a wife, mother, grandmother, sweetheart, partner and "pal." She taught the second grade in Hot Springs for 25 years. She touched the lives of so many children through her love of teaching and learning. She took pride in the memories many of her former students returned to share with her.

Ruth was an avid gardener - her roses were her pride and joy. She was a voracious reader, she knitted and crocheted afghans for each member of her extended family and each year created beautiful ceramic Christmas decorations.

She and Howard spent much of their retirement years traveling, camping, picking huckleberries and fishing (she never threw one back.)

Ruth's family expresses their gratitude to the staff of Evergreen Health and Rehab in Hot Springs and St. Joseph Hospital in Polson for their care and compassion.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31, at the First Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs with the Rev. James Dickinson officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Murray Memorial Cemetery at Lonepine.

Arrangements are under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory in Polson.