Ruby Irene Konsmo

Ruby was born to John and Grace Schiele on April 24, 1938. She was raised on the family farm in Bluebell, a small rural community about 50 kilometers west of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. Ruby had the company of her older sister, Mabel, born 3 years earlier. When she and Mabel were a bit older, they were playing among the cattle in the pasture, when the bull started to menacingly trot toward them. The story, as told by Ruby, was that Mabel forgot she was the older sister, and frantically tried to climb a tree, requesting Ruby to boost her up! 

Ruby attended Rock Island school, which was located about a mile from the family farm. She excelled in her schoolwork, so that she was able to complete grades 1-3 within two years. Like so many young people of that time, she left school after completing grade eight, and first worked in Goodsoil and then in Meadow Lake. If she had had the opportunity to continue her schooling, she would have shone in many different careers. 

In the early sixties Ruby moved to Lethbridge, Alberta, then moved to Nanaimo, B.C. While in Nanaimo, her first child, Cheryl, was born to her on March 20, 1960.  When Robert, her second child, was born, she very reluctantly gave him up for adoption, the most difficult and distressing decision that she ever made. 

In 1968 she met Marty Konsmo, and they were married on April 20,1968, and shortly thereafter moved to Gold River, B.C. On July 4, 1969, Darryl, her youngest, was born. Marty worked in the pulp mill in Gold River, while both managed their convenience store and taxi service, as well as raising Cheryl and Darryl. 

On April 19, 1977 tragedy struck and changed their world forever; a head-on collision killed Marty, and Ruby was hospitalized, unable to attend Marty’s funeral. In 1979, she and Darryl moved back to Meadow Lake, where they lived until 1982. At this time she met a farmer, Fred Krywchuk from St. Walburg, and she and Darryl moved to his farm just east of the town. Eventually they moved into St. Walburg, where Ruby thrived, loved and was loved, by so many within the town. She lived in her home until health issues from her cancer diagnosis, earlier in the summer, necessitated her moving into the health complex, until her passing on December 3rd, 2020. 
   

Ruby was an outgoing and a very relationship minded person, who dearly loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. When walking around town, or in any of the stores, all who were with her noticed that it seemed everyone wanted to stop and talk with her. She spoke very often about the United Church she loved to attend, and all the community services this church, as well as another church in the town, provided at times such as the Blueberry festival. And of course every one knew of her passion for gardening, especially her love of flowers, and the fondness she had for God’s creatures, particularly her kindness for cats.
   

Ruby loved company, and her partner, Fred, provided her with many visits, and drives to visit friends, and country drives to look at special places, such as the spot where lady slippers grew not far out of St. Walburg. Within the family, it was known that Fred provided the fish and meat, and Ruby’s excellent culinary skills turned the provisions into a gourmet meal. Fred never missed a day to visit, while Ruby was in palliative care unit. 
   

Ruby was predeceased by her: husband, Marty (1977); parents, John Schiele (1982) and Grace (1994); sisters, Verna (1964), and Mabel (2012); brother-in-law, Randy Schaetzle (2007); and an infant great-granddaughter, Ava (2016). 
   

Left to mourn her passing are her: loving partner, Fred Krywchuk; daughter, Cheryl Gunn; sons, Robert (Rhonda) Mangles, and Darryl (Shannon) Konsmo; grandchildren, Jason (Mandy), Carolynn (Gordon), Shauna, and Jake; great grandchildren, Jordyn, Alyssa, Breanna,Jocelyn, and Bella; brothers, Percy (Annaliese) Schiele, Dale (LaVera) Schiele, and Gordon Schiele (Caroleigh Shearing).Due to Covid restrictions, the funeral service will be by invitation only.  Thank you for your understanding.

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