Ruby Marguerite Hill, 93

After 93 years of a full and inspirational life filled with love and laughter, faith and service, family and friendship, Ruby Marguerite (Sinrud) Hill, Silverton, went home to be with the Lord on Sept. 27, 2017. She was born on Nov. 19, 1923, at the family home in Fernwood, Idaho (near St. Maries), to Peter and Gunda (Sorlie) Sinrud. Ruby was special from birth, having been delivered by a doctor who later became governor of Idaho.

Her dad was superintendent of Blackwell Lumber Co. and their home had the only flush toilet in town! Ruby had many happy memories of growing up with her sister and best friend Ruth, being only 13 months apart. The family moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1933 where Ruby and Ruth played in the high school Drum and Bugle Corps. She enjoyed summers working as a dishwasher and bugling at Camp Sweyolakan on Lake Coeur d’Alene, before graduating from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1941.

Ruby moved to Wallace, Idaho, in December 1941 when she was the first woman to be hired by Hecla Mining Co. since World War I. She replaced a young man named Harry Magnuson as the switchboard operator. Since her future husband, Lennis Hill, was the timekeeper at Hecla’s Star mine in Burke, love blossomed as she caught many rides from Wallace to Coeur d’Alene to visit their parents. She attended Washington State College for one semester, then became too love-sick and married Lennis in February 1944 in Merced, Calif. They lived in Hornitos, Calif., for two years, where Lennis worked in the office of Hecla’s Red Cloud mine. Ruby and Lennis enjoyed more than 60 years of love and adventure together.

In 1946, they returned to the Silver Valley and settled in Silverton. Ruby was a loving and devoted mother to Ken and Connie, serving as Cub Scout and Blue Bird leader, making imaginative birthday cakes and putting on elaborate parties. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and conducted after-school Bible Clubs for hundreds of children in her home and others’ for 35 years. She was co-founder, treasurer and longtime member of the Silverton Community Church.

Her working years included Wallace High School secretary and Optometric Assistant for Dr. Chuck Hibbard.

Ruby loved bowling, golfing, scrapbooking (100+ photo albums), cake decorating, water skiing, snow skiing (until age 85) and snowshoeing (until age 91), dressing in crazy costumes, organizing kitchen bands and putting on hilarious skits. She could make any occasion memorable, special and fun.

Proud of her Norwegian heritage, Ruby was a 25-year member of Sons of Norway and delighted in making krumkake. She traveled to Norway twice to visit relatives and explore family history. She and Lennis treasured RV trips to Death Valley, Arizona, and Canada plus local lakes. Ruby continued traveling with friends and family, even returning to B.C. last February, Death Valley in March and Phoenix in April.

Throughout her life, Ruby has been very involved in the community, beginning with sewing clubs, PTA and the Silverton Mother’s Club. She organized fundraising campaigns for the American Cancer Society and recruited volunteers for local nonprofits. Ruby was active in Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and Shoshone County Community Concert Association for 50 years and Good Samaritan Silver Wood Village Volunteers for 38 years (Volunteer of the Year in 2003 and 2011). She was also active in Lady Elks, Red Hat Ladies, Fuller Center for Housing and Wallace Rotary (joining at age 80!).

Because of their extensive volunteer efforts, Ruby and Lennis were honored as Wallace Elks Co-Citizens of the Year for 2000-01.

Ruby was cherished by her family and a host of others near and far. Her love for the Lord was evident in her gift of acceptance and caring that drew others to her. Recent messages of condolence include: Ruby lived life to the fullest, she made me feel special, she was an amazing woman, so much fun to be around, everyone loved her, such a wonderful and caring woman, I admired her so much, she has been an inspiration to all who knew her, she was a mother to all of us, I’m sure she is the life of the party in heaven.

Ruby was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband; brothers Almon (Peg), Gordon (Mimi) and Douglas (Fran); and sister Ruth (Cecil); in-laws Ira and Betty Hill, and Bill and Dorothy Peacock; granddaughter Amanda Bunch and great-nephew Cody Hathaway.

She will be greatly missed by her son, Ken (Mickey); daughter Connie Hill-Bunch (Bill Bunch) of Spokane; granddaughter Stephanie Hill of Seattle and grandson Andy Hill (Kristen) of Moscow, Idaho; numerous adoring nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and many very special friends.

A celebration of Ruby’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017, at United Church of Christ Congregational, 408 Cedar St., Wallace, followed by a reception at the Wallace Elks Club. Arrangements have been entrusted to English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d’Alene.

Please visit Ruby’s online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.

The family suggests memorials to American Childhood Cancer Org. Inland NW, P.O. Box 8031, Spokane, WA 99203; Silverton Community Church, c/o Good Samaritan Silver Wood Village, P.O. Box 358, Silverton, ID 83867; or Wallace Rotary Club, P.O. Box 1165, Wallace, ID 83873.