Ruby Florence (Bristow) Brockway, 99
Ruby Florence (Bristow) Brockway was born Jan. 29, 1919, in Reliance, S.D., to Christian and Ella (Earnest) Lund. Ruby left her earthly life peacefully on June 22, 2018, in Sandpoint, Idaho, reaching the amazing age of 99.
Ruby married Elbert Bristow on May 14, 1938 In Moxie City, Wash.
In 1943, Ruby and Elbert moved to Elmira, Idaho, where they started a small ranch raising cattle, pigs and chickens, as well as two sons, Garry and Rodney. The farming was hard work. They had no electricity until 1952 and there was no indoor plumbing. They spent many winters snowed in for days. While living in Elmira, Ruby worked at Dot and Roy’s café, and as a waitress and cook at the Norway Lodge in Colburn, Idaho.
In the early ’60s, they sold the farm and moved to Colburn where Elbert worked across the road at the Pack River Lumber Mill. Elbert passed away in 1983 and shortly after Ruby moved to Sandpoint.
On September 24, 1994, she married an old-time family friend, William “Billy” Brockway. They spent the next years living in Milo, Alberta, and Creston, British Columbia, in Canada. They returned to Sandpoint in 2005 where Billy passed away in 2010. Ruby then lived with her son Rod, until her health started to fail and she was moved to the Bridge, and shortly after moved to Life Care where she passed.
Ruby was always a hard worker, learning at a young age to work the fields picking the crops with her family. If there was work to be done, she was always there willing to help out.
She amazed a group of teenage hay hands by pitching hay bales into the barn well into her 60s. She could stack wood with the best of them.
Ruby’s favorite times were spent making hearty meals and baking cookies for family and friends. The coffee pot was always on at Ruby’s.
She is survived by both her sons, Garry (Susan) Bristow of Sagle, Idaho, and Rodney (Vonnie) Bristow also of Sagle; and seven grandchildren, Laurie Simonoff, Kevin Bristow, Jim Bristow. Stephanie Gross, Brian Stangle, Matt Stangle and Scott Rickman. She is also survived by her two sisters, Dollie Bristow of Cove, Ore., and Betty (Skip) Rutherford of Sandpoint. She leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Christian and Ella; husbands Elbert and Billy; two sisters, Mae Kemmer and Bonnie Cullison; brothers Ralph, Donald and Zane Lund; granddaughters Tammy Bristow and Pam Stangle; and daughter-in-law Barb Bristow.
The family wishes to thank the staff at the Bridge and Life Care of Sandpoint for their tender loving care in Ruby’s final years.
Graveside services will be held on Saturday, June 30, at 1:30 p.m. at Pack River Cemetery with Pastor Barry Johnson conducting the service.
Family and friends are invited to sign Ruby’s online guestbook at coffeltfuneral.com
Arrangements have been placed into the care of Coffelt Funeral Services.