Ruth Ames Olsen passed away peacefully at home in Otis Orchards on Nov. 8, 2015, shortly after celebrating her 94th birthday. She was born in Shelley, Idaho, to James William Ames and Vivian Jacobson. She grew up in Chinook, Mont., as the seventh of 11 children and learned about hard work, herding sheep, baking bread, working at the local theater and enduring cold winters.

After high school graduation, she attended the Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Havre, Mont., and played the organ for the mandatory Catholic Chapel Service. She met the love of her life, Cecil Ray Olsen, at the LDS church in Anaconda and married soon after in Missoula, Mont. Moves took them to Seattle, Hayden Lake and Coeur d’Alene, where they lived and raised five children. However, at the age of 42, Ruth became a widow and raised five teenagers on her own, making sure they all headed off to college.

Ruth’s life was one devoted to service and helping others. She worked as a private, public health nurse and hospital nurse in Kootenai County and retired her career at Deaconess Hospital as the Associate Director of Nursing in 1978. She followed her retirement with a full-time mission in the Philippines and, later, the purchase of Daisy’s Yarn Shop in San Clemente where she pursued her hobbies of knitting and crocheting (along with a “listening ear” for customers). During the rest of her retirement, she lived with family in Laie, Hawaii; Logan, Utah; Sequim, Wash.; and Otis Orchards, Wash.. Over the years Ruth faithfully served in her church as visiting teacher, genealogist, primary president, Relief Society president and temple ordinance worker.

She never lost her mental quickness, sense of humor, skill at dominoes or art of making pies. She was always an inspiration for how to gracefully endure hardships, to quietly help others, to face life directly, to have patience, and to dearly love her family.

She is survived by a brother, Jim (Mary) Ames; a sister, Anna (Ken) McCurdy; a son, Gary (Emily) Olsen; four daughters, Nancy (Sandy) Goldstien, Pat (Dan) Bachman, Carol Olsen and Cecilia (Randy) Day; 13 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, P.O. Box 19024 Seattle, WA 98109-1024 or www.fredhutch.org.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2801 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815 with a time for meeting and sharing with family and friends at 10 a.m. at the church. The grave dedication will be at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens following the service.

Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Please visit Ruth’s online memorial and sign her guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.