Ruth M. Tyler, (nee Tompkin) On November 18, 2022 of Mullica Hill. Age 75. Beloved wife of Henry. Loving stepmother of Susan Deuter (the late Daniel) and Jennifer Tyler. Dear sister of Gordon Tompkin (Lynne). Survived by loving cousin, Donna Goodman. Loved by nieces and nephews in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Vancouver, British Columbia. Also survived by Noah Breitenfeld.

Ruth M. Tyler was born Ruth M. Tompkin on December 3, 1946, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Educated to be a teacher, Ruth taught first graders in Winnipeg for six years before deciding to change careers and seek employment in the insurance industry.  She excelled in her new profession, being the first Canadian woman to earn and be awarded the title of Charted Life Underwriter (CLU), a designation regarded as the gold achievement of life insurance professionals and insurance planning.

Ruth worked for North American Insurance Company and later New York Life Insurance Company in Winnipeg and Toronto Canada and in Philadelphia, USA.  Ruth held the position of Director of Group Lines for New York Life Insurance Company in Toronto, Canada.

Ruth met her soon to be husband, Henry, in March of 1991.  Henry and Ruth were married on February 14, 1992. Before getting married Henry and Ruth needed to follow the rules and apply for a fiancé visa which was granted.  Thereafter, Ruth received her Green Card which allowed her to stay in the USA and applied for US Citizenship as soon as was allowed.  Ruth became a US Citizen on September 6, 2000. She became a patriotic American and loved to dress with her red, white and blue on the 4^th of July. We did continue to celebrate Canada Day on July 1 and Canada Thanksgiving on October 12.

Soon after her marriage, Ruth was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  Ruth was courageous and a beautiful loving person.  She became interested in her hobbies of sewing and knitting and caring for others.  Friends wondered how she could cope after so many years of suffering.  Here she answers in her own words:

I was told I had Parkinson’s, the news devastated me and, although I worked for a while after the diagnosis, I am now unable to work. But…you know…God never closes a door, but He opens a window. And the window He opened was my sewing and my knitting. I had done both for many years but had found it harder and harder to find time to do either. Well now I had the time, didn’t I???!! And I began doing both again but being more creative than before.

Now I start with a vague idea and see where it takes me, often changing direction in a project. I tell my friends that “It is not a race!” because, God only knows I am slow now.

But the journey is what is interesting to me and what keeps me going. Sometimes people will ask me how I keep a positive outlook when I am having difficulty with a project or they will suggest that I not “push” myself. My attitude is “what if this is my last ‘good’ day and I waste it whining or not doing as much as I could, as well as I could?

Would that not be a sin?” Well, I am not going to waste any of my time. Any day I get up is a good one and that’s how it is. “Why me?” is not happening here. It changed nothing.

I want to do something that will bring pleasure and happiness to me and to other people. If I get down (and I sometimes do) I sing “Zip-a-dee-do-dah, zip-a-dee- ay, my oh my what a wonderful day! Plenty of sunshine headin’ my way, Zip-a-dee-do-dah, zip-a-dee-ay…”

Even through her suffering, Ruth never complained and lived a joyous and ambitious life.  She was the most beautiful and courageous woman I ever met.  I will love her forever.

Family and friends are invited to attend her visitation Saturday 10:00 – 11:00 AM at the Egizi Funeral Home, 119 Ganttown Rd., Washington Twp. Funeral service 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth’s memory may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD 21741 or by clicking on the link.