Obituary of Ruth Constance Kitch

KITCH (Westhaver) – Ruth Constance – 85, Halifax.  It is with heavy hearts that the family of Ruth Kitch announce her passing on Monday, October 1St 2012.  Born in Cambridge MA. on June 1st 1927, Ruth was the eldest daughter of the late Edgar and Marion Westhaver.  At the age of 4 she returned to Nova Scotia with her parents and resided in Mader’s Cove.  There she met Harvey Whynot whom she married in 1949 in Halifax.  They had three sons before Harvey passed away in 1970.  With the boys to raise, Ruth took a typing course and went to work at Western Furniture.  Three years later she went to work in the billing department of the VG Hospital from which she retired.  Her eldest son introduced Ruth to the world of travel on a trip to Montreal.  She caught the travel bug, and on her first trip to Europe, Ruth met an Australian named Fred Kitch.  Three months later, Fred immigrated to Canada and they were married in 1978.  Together they traveled the world until Fred passed away on a trip to Australia with their friends John and Val Pinks in 1992. Mom loved to dance and she and Fred belonged to several square and round dance clubs.  She was the first non-Australian to ever belong to the Australian Defence League.  Mom was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection and over the years served on various committees.  For several years she was the representative on world development.  She was also a founding member of the 12th Canadian BP Guild of former Scouts and Guides.  Ruth loved the movies, and many Saturdays would see her and friend Emma at the theatre.  She also loved to read, do crossword puzzles and do the cryptoquotes.  Besides her parents, Ruth was pre-deceased by her first husband, Harvey Whynot; second husband, Fred Kitch; step-grandson, Bruce Kitch.  She leaves to mourn her sons, Rev. David (Susan), Bridgewater; Michael (Dianne); Danny of Halifax;  grand-daughters, Nicole (Mark), Lorianne (Craig), Angela (Mark) and Melanie;  step-sons, Robert and Alan;  step-grandchildren, Stuart, Nadia, and Tara Kitch, of Australia;  sister and brother-in-law, Marina and Patrick Moore and close cousin, Carl Westhaver.  Ruth also leaves Gertie, her cat "the little bugger keeps picking my new chair". Cremation has taken place under the care of J. A. Walker Funeral Home (2005) Ltd., 149 Herring Cove Road, Halifax (477-5601), where visitation will be held on Friday, October 5th from 2-4 and 7-9 PM.  Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, October 6th at 10am in Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, corner of Windsor and Allen St.;  reception to follow in church hall.  Burial will be in Park Cemetery, Mahone Bay. Family flowers only.  Donations in Ruth’s memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Nova Scotia, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection.