October 13, 1924 - November 24, 2017
Ruth Jean (Root) Mercer passed away on November, 24, 2017. She was born on October 13, 1924 in Great Falls, MT to George and Christina (Beattie) Root. Ruth was raised in Great Falls, MT. She graduated from Great Falls High School in 1942. After high school graduation Ruth attended Montana State College in Havre, MT. However, due to family responsibilities and WWII, she returned home the following year.
Back in Great Falls, Ruth worked for both the Milwaukee Railroad and the Great Northern Railroad as a clerk. In Nov. of 1944 she enlisted in the U.S. Navy W.A.V.E.S. When she completed her training she was stationed in San Diego, CA as a Navy Yeoman working as a secretary for naval officers. While attending services and church activities for the military at the First Baptist Church in San Diego, she met Harold (Pat) Mercer, a sailor from Haynie, WA. They were married October 9, 1945 at the First Baptist Church in San Diego. Shortly after that they both returned to civilian life and moved to a small farm in Haynie.
Pat and Ruth lived in Haynie for 18 years and raised four children. Ruth was a hard worker who picked strawberries and worked at Birch Bay carnival concessions to earn extra money in the early years of her marriage. Later Ruth worked for Yates Auto Shop in Blaine as a clerk. She was then hired by Nelle & Hollinger, a Blaine attorney and a realtor. Later Ruth took the Civil Service test and was hired as a clerk working for U.S. Immigration Services. She began as a GS3 level clerk and ended her Civil Service career as a Customs Import Specialist GS11.
In 1965 Ruth and Pat moved to Blaine where they lived until 1986. They later retired and moved to Bothell, WA to be closer to their children and grandchildren. After Pat’s death in 2008, Ruth sold her house in Bothell and moved to Brittany Park Senior Living in Woodinville, WA and later to Aegis Assisted Living in Kirkland, WA.
When Ruth and Pat retired, they traveled throughout the U.S. in their motorhome. They drove it to Alaska, throughout Canada, and to Mexico. Many of those trips included their children and grandchildren. Other highlights of their travels included Hawaii, Spain, Portugal and a cruise through the Panama Canal.
Ruth was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Pat Mercer, her parents and her brothers George and Jim Root, her son-in-law Terry Lane and daughter-in-law Colleen Mercer. She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Norm and Jeanna Root; daughter Nancy (Mike) Werdal, son Jim (Ann) Mercer, son Don Mercer, daughter Marilyn (Michael) Kelly; grandchildren Jeff (Heather) Werdal, Rebecca (Robert) Neumann, Jon Mercer, Stephen Mercer, Brian (Sarah) Mercer, Christina (Chris) Meyers, Ryan Lane, Kellianne Lane; great-grandchildren Evan, Hayden, Emma, Andrew, Ashton, Addison, Phineas and Tobin, and numerous nephews and nieces, and her beloved cat Tillie.
A funeral service will be held on Monday, December 4, 2017 at 1 p.m. at Moles Farewell Tributes - Greenacres, 5700 Northwest Drive, Ferndale, WA 98248.
Memorials can be given in Ruth’s name to Pasado’s Safe Haven Animal and Humane Society Shelter, P. O. Box 171 Sultan, WA 98294, or any animal shelter of your choosing. You may share your thoughts and memories of Ruth in the online guest book at www.molesfarewelltributes.com
