Peacefully and surrounded by loved ones, Ruth passed away at Toronto Western Hospital after falling ill to pneumonia and suffering complications from COPD. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents Reginald and Margaret (Allman) Stackhouse and cherished Jack Russells Spike, Goodfellow and Katie. Heartbroken are sisters Mary Hatt (Greg) and Elizabeth Stackhouse, brother John Stackhouse (Cindy Andrew), and special friend Ken Innes. Ruth was proud of her nine nieces and nephews: Tim (Janice), Charlie (Natalie) and Hilary Hatt, and Joanna Mandel (Dan); Lindsay, Jennifer (Sarah) and Caroline Reynolds; and Matthew and Lauren Stackhouse. She enjoyed keeping in touch with them through regular text messages of love, praise and support. She never forgot a birthday including those of her six great nieces and nephews.

Ruth attended Fairmount Public School and R.H. King Collegiate. During these years she came to realize she was born to perform on stage, and off, filling her childhood with drama and theatre interspersed with typical childhood mischief and fun. These pursuits brought joy, partly because they helped her cope with dyslexia and mental health issues. Ruth, or Ruthie as many called this bubbly girl, took lessons, joined drama clubs and corralled neighbour kids into many a backyard production. She found ways to shine outside the conventional classrooms of the sixties.

Later, after a stint at Shaw Business College, Ruth attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. There she became a true professional, and honed skills for a future career that would pair performing with yet another passion, social justice for people living with mental and physical challenges. In 1989, Ruth founded the Friendly Spike Theatre Band, a group committed to social justice through the practice of theatre. Under her leadership Friendly Spike produced dozens of collectively developed play creation programs. Well scripted and tightly directed, the productions entertained and also encouraged a deeper understanding of the struggles brought on by mental illness and physical disability. Friendly Spike enriched life not only for its members but their friends and familes as well. During the Pandemic Ruth launched Friendly Spike into the world of Zoom. In doing so a growing audience was enlightened and inspired online.

While carrying on with her career, it made sense for Ruth to complete her education by attending Toronto Metropolitan University School of Disability Studies (BA) and York University Critical Disability Studies program (MA). This intellectual study informed her day to day work and made her a sought-after consultant for groups such as Houselink Community Homes, Mad Pride Organizing Committee and Homes First who enlisted Ruth’s talent and enthusiasm to develop creative arts programming for their people. Later, when she worked with Haven Toronto (formerly Good Neighbours Club), Ruth opened doors to creativity for homeless men through a popular writers workshop.

Ruth certainly deserved to be formally recognized with of a City of Toronto Access Award and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Yet she would say her highest honour was the deep satisfaction of helping her groups achieve dignity, confidence and self-respect through theatre and writing. Just the way she did herself. Ruth’s voice was big but her heart was bigger and in it she had a place for everyone.

The only way to say it is simply that the world has lost a very brave and special person. In mourning her passing, Ruth would want us all to love each other a little bit more, be a little bit kinder and more thoughtful. She would want us to reach out to one another often through texting, even just to say “Have a great day.”

This is how we keep her spirit with us loud and clear. Ruth would say, “Don’t cry for me now I have died, for I’m still here, I’m by your side.”

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Jack Russell Terrier Rescue Ontario in Ruth’s memory.