Ruth E. House

1936 - 2024

Ruth E House
May 6, 1936 - August 7, 2024
Ruth was born in Ontario, Oregon to Carl and Bonnie (Schall) McDermott Roe of Ironside, Oregon.
Her younger years were spent between their Ironside and Ontario homes. Upon entering elementary school, she went to live with her Schall grandma to attend school in Ontario. Later, her younger brothers Joe and Phil joined her at Lindbergh Elementary, and from then on the family lived in their Ontario home during school days. Ruth graduated from Ontario High School in 1954.
Ironside life included ranch duties, hunting, and horseback riding, while enjoying the abundant wildflowers and changing seasons in the hills filled with sagebrush, juniper trees, and mahogany groves. The Tenneese walking horses, raised and trained by Bonnie, were used on the ranch. The ranch, which was homesteaded by family, including her father Carl and his father, continued to be a big part of her life and was shared with her children, grandchildren. Her great-grandchildren are now the 6th generation to enjoy its beauty.
She attended the College of Idaho to earn her teaching degree. She met the love of her life, George D. House, while attending a "Nickel Hop" at Oregon State University. After marrying in 1959, she taught elementary school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where George completed his engineering degree.
They moved to Vale soon after to be closer to their families, and to start their own. They welcomed a daughter and a son, later purchasing a home on 40 acres just outside of town. They raised their family to appreciate rural life, which included many small animals, Shetland ponies, and American Saddlebreds. The family was active in the Vale Vaqueros Horse 4-H club. Ruth and George also spent time in Ironside with their children, who fondly remember riding with picnics in saddlebags, exploring, and fun fishing adventures on Rose Creek.
Ruth was a 1st and then 4th grade school teacher at Vale Elementary. George had a lifelong career at the BLM. She loved teaching children and was an educator in and out of the classroom, sharing her love of Pioneer and Native American history, along with nature and the world around us. One of her favorite classroom activities was to bring in monarch eggs on milkweeds from her home and let her class observe and learn how they develop into butterflies. Ruth retired from teaching in 1997 after a total of 33 years.
She was a voracious reader, and had a gift of teaching young and old how to read. She especially enjoyed learning about the history, art, and customs of other cultures. She was also an avid antique collector, frequenting yard sales, flea markets, and auctions. She and George were often sighted at the Sumpter Flea Market.
Our beloved "Nanny" was preceded in death by her parents; husband George; brother Phil. She is survived by her daughter Elynn (Bob) Mizuta of Vale; son Aaron (Joy) House of Olympia, WA; grandchildren Alia (Matt), Hannah, Keegan (Demia); great-grandchildren Adi, George; brother Joe.
To honor her love of reading and passion for education, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Vale City Library to use for children's storytime activities: "In memory of Ruth House".
A Celebration of Her Life will be held at the Vale Senior Center on Saturday, October 19th at 1:00.