Obituaries & Tributes

Ruby Winifred Burnam Meyer

Ruby Winifred Burnam Meyer, 100, died Sept. 24, 2020 in Springfield of natural causes.

The second of five children, she was born June 26, 1920, in Colfax, Wash., to Guy Burnam and Agnes Keating.

She met the love of her life, John B. Meyer, in the orchards of Lewiston, Idaho, where his family had emigrated to pick fruit during the Great Depression. They were married on May 16, 1940, at St. Stanislas Catholic Church in Lewiston.

The family moved to Kennewick, Wash., in 1948 where John worked as a union carpenter on construction of Ice Harbor Dam and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The couple had six children: Larry, John, Carol, Kathy, Tony and Janet.

After John died of a heart attack at 41, the family moved to Clarkston, Wash., in 1959 where she took in ironing and worked in the cafeteria of Holy Family School.

Relocating to Reedsport in 1970, she worked in childcare and as a drug store clerk until retirement in 1986. She moved to Olive Plaza in Eugene where one of her great joys was watching the odometer roll over on the stationary bike that she rode religiously. She also enjoyed reading, playing canasta and watching her beloved Seattle Mariners.

A devout Catholic, she was a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Eugene and served as a Eucharistic Minister. She also was an active member of Catholic Daughters of America.

Ruby was preceded in death by her siblings: Oran, Wayne, Mary and Agnes. She is survived by her children, 17 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.

Thank you to Shalem Cottage in Springfield and Hospice of Sacred Heart.

A funeral mass will be held on Oct. 15 at 12:15 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1062 Charnelton St., Eugene. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in Ruby’s name to Carmel of Marie Regina, 87609 Green Hill Road, Eugene, Ore., 97402.

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