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Chambers Ruth^{[1, 1]}

1916 - 2004

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• Birth	10 Apr 1916	Estherville, Emmet, Iowa, USA   [1, 2]
  Gender	Female
  Alt. Birth	10 Spr 1917	Estherville, Emmet, Iowa, USA
  SSN issued	, , Wisconsin, USA   [2]
  Social Security Number	399-38-9041  [2]
  _UID	2B0C7033F9D5469AA5BA7048C1B8B2A97393
  Died	12 Jan 2004	Washburn, Bayfield, Wisconsin, USA   [1]
  	Ruth Harnois Age: 87 Published: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 3:00 AM CST Bayfield County Journal Ruth Chambers Jacob Harnois, 87, Washburn, died Monday, Jan. 12, 2004 at the Memorial Medical Center in Ashland. She was born April 10, 1917 in Estherville, Iowa, the daughter of Lou and Augusta (Raake) Chambers. Ruth spent her early childhood on a farm near Brule. After graduating from UW-Madison, she began teaching in Ondassagon and other local communities. She also held the position of county agent for home ecomonics, was a leader of the local 4H chapter, and judged competitions at fairs. Ruth enjoyed the outdoors and was an avid gardener. Ruth was an active member of Washburn United Methodist Church and Washburn Area Historical Society Museum. She enjoyed quilting, cooking, playing cards, needle work, preserving history. Ruth is survived by four sons, Clifford Harnois, Grant (Barb) Harnois, Richard (Jan) Harnois, and Mark (Martha) Harnois; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Fred Jacob; her second husband, Art Harnois; and her daughter, Mary Lou Bade. A funeral service was held Jan. 17 at the United Methodist Church in Washburn with Rev. Jim Ross officiating. Burial will be in the Calvary Cemetery in Washburn in the spring. Memorials may be made to Washburn UMC or the Washburn Area Historical Society and/or museum. The Bratley Funeral Home in Washburn assisted the family with arrangements.
  Person ID	I1369	Harnois
  Last Modified	1 Feb 2012

  
  

  Family	Harnois Arthur Leo,   b. 23 Jun 1912, , , Saskatchewan, Canada ,   d. 17 Nov 2002, Washburn, Bayfield, Wisconsin, USA
  Married	1946  [3]
  Children	1. Harnois Richard   2. Harnois Clifford   3. Harnois Mary Lou,   d. 28 Oct 2001, Midland, Midland, Texas, USA   4. Harnois Grant   5. Harnois Mark Leo
  Last Modified	1 Feb 2012
  Family ID	F386	Group Sheet

  
  

• Notes

  Washburn Historical pillars: Johnson and Harnois pass By Eric Hjerstedt Sharp Published: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 3:00 AM CST Bayfield County Journal WASHBURN -- Two pillars of the Washburn Area Historical Society died earlier this month: Catheryn Johnson, 97, and Ruth Harnois, 87. A blow to the community, these long-time residents contributed immensely to Washburn's overall community knowledge. Catheryn R. Johnson died Sunday, Jan. 4 at Northern Lights Health Care Center in Washburn, where she was a resident. She was born Sept. 12, 1906 in Stanley, the daughter of Otto and Karen (Mattson) Higholt Peterson. Ruth Chambers Jacob Harnois died at Memorial Medical Center in Ashland. She was born April 10, 1917 in Estherville, Iowa. Johnson researched and compiled the vast majority of local information for two hard-cover books: Washburn Memories (1983) and Washburn Pioneers (1986). According to Washburn Area Historical Society President Tony Woiak, Johnson was a storehouse of knowledge, having lived here for most of her life. Woiak remembers she ran the Chequamegon Bakery with her husband, the late Earl Johnson, for more than 30 years. Earl Johnson, started the Washburn Airport in 1946, and flew polio victims to the Twin Cities that same year. A member of the Messiah Lutheran Church in Washburn, Catheryn Johnson also taught at Stanley and Ondossagon schools, as did Earl. A past president of the Women?s Civic Club and founder of the Washburn Foundation, she served on the Washburn Parks and Recreation Committee, many homecoming committees, and the Washburn School Board. According to Woiak, she contributed a lot of work to the Washburn Area Historical Society before he became involved with the group. She was also a member of the Bayfield County Historical Society. Like Johnson, Ruth Harnois was deeply involved with both the Washburn and Bayfield County historical societies. Although born in Iowa, her family soon afterwards moved to northern Wisconsin, where she was raised on a farm near Brule. She also taught at Ondassagon School, and was the county agent for home economics, a leader in local 4H chapters, and judged at the Bayfield County Fair. Executive curator for the Washburn Historical Museum since its founding, she also served on the board of directors of the Washburn Area Historical Society. "She helped accumulate a lot of things for this museum," Woiak said. "She was instrumental in getting the Chick Sheridan Collection organized, inventoried and donated by the family. According to Woiak, Harnois spent countless hours working on the collection which consisted of 24 boxes, seven, four-drawer file cabinets and more than 200,000 photos, negatives, slides, newspaper clippings and other items. In 2000, the second floor room, where her desk and several exhibits are, was dedicated at the Ruth Harnois Room. "We wouldn't have a historical society if it wasn't for here," Woiak said. "She was the backbone of the Washburn Area Historical Society." Woiak said he will be acting as temporary curator, but he said: "Ruth will never be replaced. No one will be able to fill her shoes."




• Sources

  [S6] Social Security Death Index, Ancestry.com, (Name: Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA;Date:2008;;), Number: 399-38-9041; Issue State: Wisconsin; Issue Date: 1958-1959. (Reliability: 3). Birth date: 10 Apr 1916Birth place: Death date: 12 Jan 2004Deathplace: Washburn, Bayfield, Wisconsin, United States of Americahttp://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=8645935&pid=-916493684 http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=sse&db=ssdi&h=72324016&ti=0&indiv=try&gss=pt [S6] Social Security Death Index, Ancestry.com, (Name: Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA;Date:2008;;), Database online. (Reliability: 3). Record for Ruth C. Harnois [S21] Washburn Pioneers, Cathryn R. Johnson, editor, (Washburn, Wisconsin: Bayfield County Publishing, 1986.).