Obituary of Ruth Stromberg

Ruth Stromberg

January 5, 1928 – July 17, 2024

Ruth Stromberg, mother to Linda Darlene Stromberg, Brenda Dawn Stromberg and Curtis Eric Stromberg,  passed away on July 17^th, 2024, at Lanark Heights Long Term Care in Kitchener, Ontario. She is survived by daughter Linda Stromberg, daughter Brenda Stromberg, grandson Ethan Gerth, and sister Nansy Hamby.  She is predeceased by husband Norman Eric Stromberg, father Ben Simonson, mother Kristi Simonson, son Curtis Eric Stromberg, and sister Selma (Sal) Halladay.

Ruth Stromberg (Simonson) was born on January 5, 1928, in a small prairie town of Elbow, Saskatchewan. She married Norman Stromberg on March 30, 1951, in Vancouver, B.C. where they started a life together.  The result was three children: Linda Stromberg, Brenda Stromberg, Curtis Stromberg (deceased) and one grandchild, Ethan Stromberg Gerth.

Being a child of Norwegian immigrant parents Kristi and Ben Simonson, she experienced the Great Depression and limited educational opportunities.  These challenges developed her character to endure with appreciation the difficulties that life presents.  She experienced telephone operating (the old-fashioned way), dental assisting, retail sales, entrepreneurship, political activism, championing for environmental issues, and church-initiated programs such as her favourite “Open Sesame”, a head start program for disadvantaged children at Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario.  In support of her husband’s working life, the family moved from Alberta to Manitoba to Ontario in a period of fifteen years.  She was the anchor in the home for her husband and children.  Her interests were varied.  She was a formidable softball pitcher in her youth, played guitar, loved to sing, decorate, and dabble with the paintbrush. 

If asked what summed up Ruth Stromberg, it would be that she was one who embraced kindness as her golden rule, did not give up on an idea and always considered the other person’s view first.   

A Memorial Service will be held at Mount Zion Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario on September 21, 2204 at 3pm with visiting starting at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family and donations to Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington may be arranged through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S., Waterloo at www.erbgood.com.