Ruby Inez James, 73

Ruby Inez James, 73, passed away on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010, in Sagle, Idaho.

Ruby was born on Feb. 21, 1936 in Oconto County, Wis., to John and Evelyn Dobner.

She grew up and attended schools in Auburn, Wash., and in 1952 was crowned “Miss Puget Sound.”

She attended school to become a physician’sassistant and worked with Dr. Wilde.

She married Gordon Eli Tresness in 1955 and had two children. She later married Richard McLeod James of Aberdeen, Wash..

Ruby was a beautiful woman and loved to dress up. She loved the outdoors whether it was clam digging on the coast or elk hunting in the Naneum with her brothers, cooking up a storm and scaring the bears away with her pots and pans.

Ruby loved to cook and up to her final days was planning the menus for the holidays.  She also took great pride in caring for her home. In 2007, for health reasons she moved to Sagle to live with her sister.

She is survived by her two children, Kathleen and Gordon Tresness, both of Caldwell, Idaho; two brothers, John (Ilene) Dobner of Maple Valley, Wash., and Michael (Linda) Dobner of Edgewood, Wash.; two sisters, Helen Dobner of Sagle and Rita Forester of Seattle; six grandchildren, Aaron Tresness of Bellingham, Wash., Amanda Hodges of Wasilla, Alaska, Nicholas Hoekema of Middleton, Idaho, Daniel Hoekema, Emily and Andrea Smith all of Caldwell, Idaho; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Darlene, and brother Stanley.

Memorial donations may be made to Panhandle Animal Shelter, 870 Kootenai Cut-Off Road, Ponderay, Idaho 83852.

Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Ruby’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign her guest book.