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Ruth By Her Brother Paul Ruth was Born "Strathmare" a private hospital in Wollongong- on the 22/June/1936- And as our mother wrote, �So after nine long months of waiting, and wondering, and suffering, came into the world, and into my arms, Ruth.�- and then in a letter to her sister Our Aunt Betty she wrote in part- �Oh that first sight of her! can I ever forget how she looked then! So very very tiny-- wide open blue eyes, like little luminous pools-- and the most wonderful rose-bud complexion I have ever seen-- I didn't think a new-born babe could have such a white skin, and such almost brilliantly pink cheeks and lips.� So she came into this world a very wanted and special person. And later Paul her Brother, and then her sister Anne- Ruth was a very delicate baby and in her first year of life became extremely ill- She was almost lost to us then. About 1940 Ruths Mother and Father split up. Her Mother with Ruth, Paul ,and Anne all moved to the family home �Willow Grange� at Moss Vale- where for the next 6 or 7 years Ruth, and her brother and Sister lived with There Grandparents and Two Aunts Ruths Mother then left the family home with her children and after a short stay in a house in Moss Vale- They moved to Dremeday St North Mead- where Ruth started to attend the Baulkham Hills Public School- There was very little consideration in the education System for anything but the norm, and after a short time Ruth was taken out of School and never attended another one. Ruth Had an exceptionally good memory for events-- she would have no trouble in relating every thing in her life incl. names of friends and neighbours etc. She was very trusting and kind to those that she liked- although if she disliked some one she did so with a passion- It was at this time that her future step father �Frank Wilson came into her live- Just as a friend in this period- Being a Ex teacher- he helped Ruth a bit with her reading and writing About 1950 she moved with her family to a little old house at south Granville which our mother had purchased. It was made up with a couple of flats which Ruths mother hoped would supplement there income- During the Next 6 years Ruth�s Brother left home and went to Queens land and her sister got married and left also- About 1956 The house at South Granville was sold- and Ruth�s Mother married Frank Wilson and they bought a house at Quakers Hill- Ruth went along with them- It was about then that Ruth took up photography she had a little (A Kodak Baby Brownie) and taught herself the art of developing the film. She had all these bottles with strange fluids ,dishes and measuring devices- Also Ruth had a friend whose name was Marther and the used to visit each other. Marther lived some where near Sydney- She was probably the closes friend that Ruth ever had- and possible the only one that she could fully confide in . Unfortunately Marther dropped out of sight many years ago and her whereabouts today is unknown. In the middle of the 1960 Ruth�s Mother and Frank moved to Hazelbrook in the Blue Mountains- She always helped mother in the house but never leant much in the way of cooking- Frank was interested in astronomy- and had built a 6 inch telescope, in which Ruth took an interest and learned much about the planets and universe. She took up a job at a sheltered work shop- It must have given her a lift in her self confidence and esteem- and there also love entered her live and she met her husband to be Cedric Hanbidge- and at the Age of 42 years they were married In the little church of ST James at Hazelbrook on the 25/11/1978. The two of them set up house in a quaint little place about a kilometre from the Hazelbrook shopping centre. There they led an independent near ideal life with some assistance from home care services, until because of Cedric�s failing Heath, in early 1994 it became obvious that they needed more help- So with the help of her brother Paul and her social workers assistance- She and Cedric where both installed at a hostel accommodation at Marrickville where she lived with Cedric until his Death on 12/June /1996 and then on until recently when she became ill her self. In those 8 0r 9 years the people at the Hostel Became her de-facto Family. In June 2003 her Sister was able to accompany her on short cruise on the Star Cruise ship- ever since Ruth was a teenager she had always wanted to go on a big ship- This turned out to be one of the highlights of Ruth�s life and she enjoyed it immensely- This is reflected in copy of a photo that you can see before you-- it was around this time that every body realised there could be something wrong with Ruth�s Health- and her sister arranged for tests- While these test were being carried out she stayed with her sister Anne and her husband Harry. She also stayed for a short time with her Brother Paul- so at least for that time she enjoyed being with her family again- Her brother said �That when Ruth found she had the brain tumour she understood the risks- she was worried about it- but made a game of it calling it a creeper � one time- Ruth was sitting in a lounge chair- I looked around to see her with her head thrown back her eyes closed- I was startled- I said �what are you doing� she replied with out changing her position �I�m practicing being dead� It was her way of handling the situation�. A couple of weeks before her operation she was staying with Paul- it was the 8/june/2004-- The Transit of Venus- Ivor a mate of Paul�s had a telescope which he was going to set up in a good position - Maria and Paul took Ruth to where it was set up and she was very interested in the whole affair and had a celebratory glass of wine with Ivor and his friends- Just before She went into RPA Hospital Her Sister Anne and Harry Gave her a 68th birthday party which she Thoroughly enjoyed- Suffice to say that for the last few months Ruth despite her fears was happy Ruth was a loving Wife to Cedric and a devoted Sister to Paul and Anne, and will be missed By all Special thanks From Paul and Anne- to Harry, lyn and Maria for the consideration and support, especially for Ruth when she needed it most. |