Zona Hill Ruckman, 97, a longtime Reubens-area resident, passed away Wednesday, April 23, 2008, in Walla Walla. She moved to theWalla Walla Odd Fellows Home in 2003 from the Reubens area.
Zona was born April 9, 1911, in Chester, Mont., to Hoyt Hill and Ellen Price Hill. She was the middle child of seven siblings.
Her parents lived in Idaho before moving to Chester in 1910 to homestead land that her dad referred to as a "pile of rocks" and which you couldn't make a living on. She and younger brother Earl were born there. When she was 3 years old, Zona moved with her family from Chester back toIdaho. They lived in Growlers Point for awhile. Then her dad was able to buy some land near Reubens, where the family moved to and where she grew up.
Zona attended the Baker school, a one-room school near Reubens, through the eighth grade. There were many chores to do in a large family and she often talked of the meals she and her sisters made for their family. It was this expertise that led to her job cooking for huge harvest crews in the 1930s before she was married. When asked how she managed to do that, her response was always that it was simple if you organized your time. She did that well.
Zona married Dick Ruckman on March 14, 1936, in Grange-ville. Dick passed away on May 6, 2006. Zona and Dick were a team and worked hard during their lifetimes to provide for their family. Plus they were actively involved in many school and community activities.
A homemaker renowned for her cooking and baking skills, Zona was often asked to bake something special for Grange or other community benefits, usually a couple of pies or cakes. Zona often hosted and prepared huge dinners for family gatherings.
Zona made many beautiful quilts and embroidery pieces and was a talented seamstress. One quilt she made was entirely hand-pieced and hand-quilted. The afghans and bedspreads that were made for all the children and grandchildren, after retirement, were a collaborative effort between Dick and Zona. Dick knitted them and Zona put them all together and added fringe as needed. The afghans and bedspreads were made for each of their children and all the grandchildren, and baby blankets were made for the great-grandchildren.
As a member of the Lewiston Ladies Elks Lodge for many years, she was involved with the food caravan that transported food to the Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital in Boise. Always supportive of local community, school and fundraising activities, Zona was involved in a range of other fundraising projects.
Zona maintained a diary of farm life and family activities for 40-plus years, from the early 1960s until 2002. She commented that she began to keep a daily diary because Dick would say, well, it wasn't this kind of crop or weather last year, and she would say, "Let me check the diary and we'll see." The diaries helped resolve many questions over the years. They also provide wonderful memories for the family as they read them now.
Dick and Zona also enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and Can-ada, and visiting their daughter and family in Mexico, the Philippines, and touring many other southeast Asia countries.
Zona was preceded in death by her parents and five siblings: Carl Hill, Irma Hill, Roy Hill, Murtes Johnson and Earl Hill. Her youngest sister, Idell Gilje, survives in Twin Falls.
She is survived by a daughter and two sons: Charlotte Ruckman Misner and husband Art of Walnut Creek, Calif., R. Edward Ruckman and wife JoeAnn of Lewiston, and Tom Ruckman and wife Donna of Reubens; nine grandchildren and spouses: Michelle Misner and Jason Baluyut of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mary Misner of Modesto, Calif., Jennifer Misner of New York City, Kim and Bryan Chapman of Dayton, Wash., Connie and Jeff Camden of Lewiston, Kerry and James Franklin of Post Falls, Idaho, Teresa and Ron Brown of Oregon City, Ore., Deanna and Phill Miller of Nezperce, Aaron Ruckman of Reubens; 13 great-grandchildren, Sofia Misner Baluyut of Brooklyn, Marc Ruckman and wife Kathy of Minot, N.D., Catherine Chapman of Pullman, Ashley and Amanda Martin and Samantha Camden, all of Lewiston, Britni and Darrin Miller of Nezperce, Rai and Quenton Franklin of Post Falls, Teryan, Emily and Hailey Brown, Oregon City; and a number of special nieces and nephews.
Services are planned for 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, at Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home in Lewiston. Burial will follow at Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens in Lewiston. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Vassar-Rawls Funeral Home.
Memorial donations may be given to the charity of choice.
