Ruth Caroline Hardie was the second of twins born on July 18, 1932 to parents Lillian (Lily) Fritz and Adolph J. Flohr on the family farm in Martin County, Fairmont, Minnesota. After graduating from Jackson High School in 1950 she moved to Minneapolis where she met and married William Hardie. Aspiring to be a ballet dancer she studied ballet dance and taught ballroom dancing at one of the local dance studios in Minneapolis. She was also an avid student of psychology. Throughout her business career she worked as an executive secretary in several business sectors including insurance, real estate and investment brokerage firms such as Baker Properties in the IDS Center and Dean Witter Reynolds Co. After retiring from the business world she later moved to Seattle to live with her daughter. Her hobbies included classical music, philosophy, world history, following the financial business news and investing in the stock market.
She also loved and adored her favorite dog “Charly” a Bichon Frise. She was an intelligent woman, sharp witted, strong willed, independent, patient, kind hearted and had a wonderful sense of humor in spite of the many years that she suffered with rheumatoid arthritis.
Ruth is survived by her sister and brother in laws Jeanette & Seif Meyer, Alma & Tom Morgan, Jeanie & Bo Keck, sisters Hedy Newlin, Dorothy McKeighan, twin brother Robert (Bobby) Flohr, and daughter Kim Pontius.
Ruth passed away peacefully in the company of family at Harborview Hospital in Seattle on Tuesday, May 17 at the age of 78. Ruth has touched many lives throughout her lifetime and will be greatly missed by all.
