RUTH ROSAMOND HAYDEN CONNOR

RUTH ROSAMOND HAYDEN CONNOR passed away 21 September 2021, at the residence of her daughter where she had resided over 7 years. Born in Florence, Montana, 17 November 1931 to Ira Whitfield Hayden and Agnes Loretta Breckenridge Hayden. She graduated from Alberton High School in 1950. In 1952 she enlisted in the Air Force, attending basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, followed by Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wyoming, before being assigned to Ellington AFB in Houston, Texas.

It was here she met Roland Clarence Connor and later married him, 10 November 1954 at Huntsville, Texas. They lived in Maine, Connecticut, and Montana before settling in California where Roland took a position at IBM. Ruth gave birth to four children: Bruce, Brian, Christie, and Kerry who passed in infancy. She divorced Roland in 1972 never re-marrying. At this time she joined the Air Force Reserves achieving rank of staff sergeant. In order to be closer to home she transferred to the Army Reserves as a Specialist Five, receiving the Army Commendation Medal before being honorably discharged in 1982.

Although, Ruth loved being a stay-at-home mother to her children, she also was a substitute teacher prior to taking up full-time work in the 1970’s. She worked at the Social Security Administration before taking a secretarial position in the Harris County Sheriff’s office, where she eventually attended the Sheriff’s Academy, becoming a deputy at the age of 49. From there, she completed another life-long dream and earned her college degree at age 56 at Northern Arizona University.

Throughout, she was a proud member of The Sweet Adelines, an avid reader, enthusiastic seamstress, gardener, and proficient culinary artist. She enjoyed writing short stories in her younger years and always managed to find useful work caring for others and volunteering at various local establishments.

Ruth remained active, roller-skating with her grandchildren, Ciara, Christien, Hayden, and Hillery well in to her 60’s and travelled frequently, visiting her great grandchildren McKenzie, Cheyenne, Hunter, Grace, and Phelan when she could. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Gene, sister Connie, younger siblings, Hope & Rick, and all the Woolsey cousins, most recently Viola, who passed in January.

To the end, Ruth maintained a sense of humor that took people by pleasant surprise. She still knew the lyrics to hoards of songs and was able to sing in key.

Funeral services, with military honors, will be 17 November 2021, at Fort Snelling, Minneapolis, Minnesota

memorial service

Funeral

November 17, 2021

Fort Snelling National Cemetery 7601 34th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55450, USA

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services