Obituary: Jarvis, Ruth Lorraine (Loland)
Age 79
Ruth was a kind and very generous woman who made all those who knew her feel loved and cared for.
She loved sewing, cooking, baking, playing cards, Gonzaga basketball, gardening, travel and so much more, but what truly brought her joy was sharing these things with those she loved.
She could often be found baking with little ones perched on the counter beside her, in the thick of a game of rummy, or preparing delicious meals with her precious husband, Dick, for family and friends.
Ruth and Dick were a true partnership, a beautiful example of a Godly marriage, always honoring and putting each other first, knowing what was truly important in life.
Ruth was born in Slater, Iowa in 1935 to John and Lillian Loland, who were Norwegian immigrants.
She had one sibling, an older brother, Vern.
She didn’t learn English until she started school in North Dakota.
She finished high school at Oak Grove Academy in Fargo in 1952, followed by two years at Augsburg College in Minneapolis..
In 1954 she began nursing school at Emanuel Hospital in Portland, OR.
It was there that she met the love of her life, Dick Jarvis.
They were married July 20, 1957 in Portland, OR where they made their home for the next 13 years.
In 1970 they moved, with their six children, to Spokane, WA., to start a business together, Norlift, Inc. Ruth began working at their business, eventually returning to school to receive an accounting degree from Gonzaga in 1979.
Her work at Norlift was a joy to her, especially as she was able to work alongside many family members.
Ruth is survived by her husband of 56 years, Richard (Dick) Jarvis; her children, Chris Williams, Jay Jarvis, Sue Shively, Mary Goodrich, PJ Jarvis and Joseph Jarvis.
Ruth’s children and their spouses gave Ruth twenty-eight of the greatest gifts and blessings in her life, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A memorial service to honor and celebrate Ruth’s life will be held at 3:30pm, Friday, April 11, 2014 at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 304 S. Adams Rd, Spokane Valley, with a reception following.