In Memoriam — Ruth Bryson (Dec. 1, 1933 – Feb. 2, 2025)

We are saddened to announce the passing of Ruth Bryson. Ruth and her late husband Neil hosted the Citroën Autoclub Canada fall 2003 outing to Kingston at their home on Wolfe Island with a lovely wine and cheese reception. They had just imported a totally original 2CV AK-250 Truckette “Titine”, to add to their garage that housed a Ferrari Dino, a MG-TC and a Alpine Renault racer.

They were regular attendees at the Citroën Rendezvous in Saratoga Springs, NY and Ottawa Citroën Club gatherings for a number of years with the 2CV Truckette. Even after Neil’s passing, Ruth attended Rendezvous with George Dyke’s family who with his recently widowed mother, also named Ruth, would pick her up in Kingston along the way. As the two senior-most attendees at Rendezvous, they became affectionately referred to as “The Two Ruths”.

Patricia Anne Ruth Pidgeon Bryson, adored wife to Neil Bryson for more than 56 years (before his passing in 2012), devoted and committed mother to their only child, Campbell (Elizabeth Bucci) and Grammy to Landon (Miriam Kingvisser).

Ruth passed peacefully at Providence Manor in Kingston, Ontario, after a years-long battle with Alzheimer’s. In her inimitable Ruth way, she refused to succumb readily to the disease and kept her wicked sense of humour to the bitter end. In the earlier stages of her disease, when gently told that she was in fact 11 years older than she had thought, Ruth simply smiled her wry smile and responded, “Well, no wonder I’m going batty.”

Ruth’s childhood in Toronto was centered around her time at Branksome Hall, where she made close and life-long friends. Ruth loved to tell the story of how she and Neil first became romantically involved, their families having known each other for many years. Aware of Neil’s engineering skills and love of cars, and stealthily aided by both her own mother and Neil’s mother, Ruth staged an ‘engine trouble’ breakdown a mere block from the Bryson family home in Toronto, to which she then walked, asking for assistance. The young duo became engaged shortly thereafter.

Following their marriage in 1955, and before re-locating from Toronto to Kingston, Ruth and Neil took what they had charmingly called a ‘wander’ year, hiking – primarily in England, Scotland and Wales – and working on a Cornish coastal farm for several months.

Ruth was an Anglophile most of her long life and took great joy in informing friends and acquaintances of her experience as a young woman, wearing a hastily purchased Marks and Spencer cotton dress, being presented to the Queen. She took an almost sinister delight in recounting the surreal pleasure of saying to the London taxi driver, “Buckingham Palace, please”.

Shortly after the birth of their beloved only child, Campbell, Ruth and Neil became proud Kingstonians and lived decades in their delightful century home on Lower Union Street. Neil worked as a metallurgical engineer at Alcan, and Ruth spent many fulfilling years as an assistant in the graduate program in the Department of History at Queen’s University. Ruth also became a vocal critic of – and activist trying to halt – the Block D development in downtown Kingston.

When their hiking days were behind them, Ruth and Neil took to walking their trio of Cairn terriers in Kingston and then on Wolfe Island. When they were no longer racing cars, they still attended British, French and Italian car events. They relished being members of the Boot ’n Bonnet Club and the Citroën Autoclub Canada.

When she could no longer easily ride her BSA bike – as she had long done in Kingston, usually with a front basket filled with items from the Saturday Market and the LCBO – Ruth took to driving more. In 2006, she was the first person (and perhaps the only grandmother) in Canada to own a Lotus Elise – in British Racing Green, naturally.

Ruth was in her element gardening at their Wolfe Island property, which was also a sanctuary for a dozen wild cats adopted by Ruth and generously housed in the winter in (heated!) bunkies. Though not Wolfe Islanders by birth or through family ties, Ruth and Neil were embraced by their Islander neighbours and enjoyed many years of close friendships with them. This group of friends rallied fiercely to support Ruth during Neil’s illness and after his passing.

Ruth was an intelligent and formidable force of nature – informed, opinionated, chatty and witty. She was full of life and had an unending love for life. Her strong spirit will be greatly missed.

The family is grateful for the excellent care and exemplary kindness of the medical and support teams at Ruth’s final home in Providence Manor in Kingston.

At Ruth’s request, there will be a private memorial service for immediate family members. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Kingston Humane Society would be appreciated.