Ruth Hitland, 76
Ruth Hitland, 76, wife, mother, and friend, died Monday, Oct. 2, 2006, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell after a short illness.
She was born Dec. 20, 1929, in Bergen, Norway, to Bertin and Britha (Fjeld) Instebo.
She was a talented singer and often sang at Christmas and other services. She had a flair for mischief, something her two daughters have inherited, and enjoyed teasing and being part of a large extended family there.
To try to sum up who she was in a few paragraphs is impossible. She was, at turns, fiercely loyal, blunt, hilarious, protective, stubborn and independent. She was, really at heart, a teacher, a lover of history, music, animals, the environment and she was devoted to her family. Family stories, always with a wry commentary, made conversations a delight.
She met her husband Kaare in 1948 in Bergen. They got into a discussion about music and in truth, were still discussing music, events of the day, and life in general until the day she died. Theirs was a true partnership and she was as devoted to him as he to her.
In 1952, they moved from Norway to Whitefish and in 1956, they moved out to Whitefish Lake where they built their home, watched bears, moose, deer and beavers from their front porch, and where she planted enormous flower beds in which she took great pride.
To Ruth and Kaare were born two daughters, Brith and Janet. Our house was filled with the sounds of classical music, with Wagner, Debussey, Chopin, Lizst and Beethoven being particular favorites. The other things that she made sure of was that we had plenty of books to read (anything about Queens Victoria, Alexandra and Elizabeth I & II were great favorites), places to visit (her trips with Dad to the Gaspe', Las Vegas and Europe were things she recalled again and again) and concerts to attend. She made our lives richer for having known her.
Her insight into people was one of her greatest strengths. She encouraged people to follow their dreams, to take risks and to never, ever let anyone get in the way of them doing what they thought they needed to do.
She is survived at the family home in Whitefish by her husband, Kaare Hitland; her daughter, Brith Sutherland, and husband, Steve, of Kalispell; grandsons, Kory and Bret; her daughter, Janet Yeager, and husband, Greg, of Tulsa, Okla.; and grandsons, Eric and Scott.
A celebration of Ruth Hitland's life will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6, at Riverside Assisted Living in Whitefish.
The family is suggesting donations be made to either Stumptown Historical Society, 500 Depot St., Room 101, Whitefish, MT 59937, or the Whitefish Library Association, 9 Spokane Ave., Whitefish, MT 59937.
Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Ruth's family.
This paid obituary is being run again at the request of the family.