Obituary of Ruth Wilson Bigg
Ruth Elizabeth Wilson-Bigg (nee Arrowsmith), a longtime resident of Yorkton, passed away peacefully on October 14, 2024, following a brief health battle. She was 102. Ruth was born June 9, 1922, to Alfred and Rose (nee McLauchlan) Arrowsmith in Regina. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Weyburn, where Ruth attended Haig School and Weyburn Collegiate Institute. At the latter, she studied violin and played in the collegiate concert orchestra. After attending Weyburn Business College, between 1944 and 1946 Ruth further pursued her violin studies in Vancouver. She then returned to Weyburn and worked for the Canadian Pacific Express. In 1948, she realised her childhood dream of travelling the world. After some time in England, she joined her sister and brother-in-law, Maisie and Roland Barker, in Aradan, Iran, where Roland was employed with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. She travelled extensively through the Bible Lands of the Middle East, visiting memorable sites such as the ruins of ancient Babylon near Baghdad, Iraq. For a time, she worked at a British consulate in southern Iraq, absorbing the atmosphere and culture of the area. Ruth returned to Britain in 1950 and a year later she married Douglas Naysmith Wilson, whom she had met during her time in Iran. Following the dissolution of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, Douglas took an engineering job in Scotland, and whilst living there, Ruth enjoyed exploring its quiet beauty and history by motorcar. As Douglas worked on engineering projects in various countries where wives were not always permitted, Ruth returned to Weyburn in 1960 and joined the secretarial staff of the city’s mental health hospital. During the phasing out of the institute, Ruth transferred to the Saskatchewan attorney general’s department and worked as a court reporter in Saskatoon before transferring to Yorkton in 1969. Douglas passed away suddenly in February of 1970. In 1984, Ruth retired. During her retirement, she resumed her travels, taking trips to countries including England, Egypt, Morocco, Cuba and Hungary. In 1994, she married Jack Bigg. Following Jack’s passing in 1997, Ruth moved to French River, PEI, to be closer to her sister Judith Cox, niece Rosemary Clews, great-nephew Aaron Taylor and great-niece Miriam Taylor. The prairies, however, beckoned once again, and she returned to Yorkton in 2006. Passionate about animals and nature Ruth was one of the first members of the Yorkton SPCA. She is predeceased by husbands Douglas Wilson and Jack Bigg; parents Alfred and Rose Arrowsmith; sisters Judith Cox, Maisie Barker and Mary Faith Evangeline Arrowsmith; niece Rosemary Clews; and her many beloved cats, King Titus, Queen Sheba, Baby Kitten, Ebony, and Little Orphan. She is survived by her nephew Richard Barker, nieces Caroline Hammond and Patricia McLauchlan, great-nieces and great-nephews Zenith Wilson, Roxanne McLauchlan, Lydia Waites, Aaron Taylor, Amelia Crowther, Miriam Taylor and Kate Barker. Ruth also had the good fortune of long-standing friendships and cherished her relationships with Lavern and Lorna Fenske, Theresa Harris, and Merle and Tom Schurko. The Schurkos, along with Bonnie Rohatynsky, another dear friend, provided endless support to Ruth and the family in her final days. The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to them and the compassionate nurses at Yorkton, Melville and Pasqua hospitals for the exceptional care they provided. The funeral service was held on Monday, October 21, 2024, at 2:00pm at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Yorkton. The interment will take place at Hillcrest Cemetery in Weyburn at a later date. In lieu of flowers, Ruth had requested donations be made to the SPCA.
