Ruth V. Lawson, 95

Ruth V. Lawson, 95, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006, at Mullan Meadows Assisted Living in Missoula.

She was born Jan. 5, 1911, at the family home in Ardmore, Okla.

She attended Southeastern Teacher's College in Durant, Okla., and taught for three years in Ardmore.

She first came to Montana to help her brother at a Bible camp near Havre. While there, she met Hazen Lawson. They were married March 6, 1936, in Ardmore and then moved to Montana, where they taught in Hingham, Chinook, Harlem, Browning and Starr School. Later they lived in Cascade, Sunburst and Eureka, where Hazen served as superintendent of schools.

She enjoyed many summers and holidays at the family cabin, Square Peg Ranch, in Polebridge, entertaining guests and serving the famous 'Ruthie's sourdough pancakes.'

During the 1950s, she designed and made original jewelry using Alder cones, Kinnikinnik berries and pussy willows on tiny pieces of Juniper wood. Sales of her jewelry helped put her husband through summer school.

In 1972, Ruth and Hazen retired to Missoula where she has lived ever since. They continued enjoying summers at Polebridge until 1991.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Hazen, in 1993; brother, Virgil Gaines; and sisters, Trudy Stonestreet and Bonnie Gaines.

She is survived by two daughters, Katie Lawson Gilfilen and husband, Larry Gilfilen, of Bellingham, Wash., and Sharon Dill and husband, Dick, of Florence; three grandsons, Dale Dorcas of Bellingham, Larry Dill and wife, Carol, of Missoula, and Dean Dorcas and wife, Danene, and great-grandsons, Branden and Nathen Dorcas, all of Seattle.

A special thanks is extended to the staff and 'Mother' Teresa at Mullan Meadows for their kind care of Ruth.

Memorial services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at University Congregational Church in Missoula. A reception with refreshments will be afterward in the Fireside Room at the church.

Cremation and arrangements are by Garden City Funeral Home.