CLARKE, Margaret Ruth (nee McNevin) – Peacefully at McGarrell Place LTC on September 7, 2025 at the age of 88.  Survived by her son Scott, daughter Heather and grandsons Patrick and Michael. Ruth was born in Goderich on August 18, 1937, to Joseph and Margaret Maria McNevin (nee Durnin).  From humble beginnings, Ruth became the first in her family to graduate from Teachers College (B.Ed.).  She went back to school to become an English as a Second Language teacher and when she retired, she was head of the ESL Program for London Middlesex. She had been on the music council at Montcalm Secondary School, started the Officer Owl Program in schools with the RCMP, OPP, and London Police, and started the Block Parent Program in London. After retiring from the Board of Education, she ran two successful home-businesses: ARC Portrait China and Career Strategy Counselling. She loved her dogs Indica, BJ and many others, and tolerated Scott’s cats. Her gardens thrived and she worked hard to create perennial gardens all around the house and grew tropicals inside.  Her wood lot featured trilliums and other native species and she loved her tulips and daffodils in the spring. Ruth held seasons tickets to Orchestra London, the Grand Theatre and the Stratford Festival. Even at the end of her life, Scott played classical music and sang quietly to her the old songs in the nursing home, which relaxed her and brought her some familiar comfort. She enjoyed going out with her friends to restaurants, especially Mykonos.  Ruth had a wicked, dry, biting sense of humour. Anyone who crossed her, she would threaten to “break their knees”.  Ruth was hard-working, and athletic, excelling in softball, badminton, volleyball and swimming.  She stayed active later in life with twice each week workout classes at Huff n’ Puff. Ruth walked for MS for many years, but didn’t just walk, she pushed her friends with MS in their wheelchairs as well. She regularly raised over $10,000 per year. She grew up on Lake Huron and was a powerful swimmer. In her youth she would swim between lake freighters picking up salt in Goderich, and could swim out to the second sand bar.  She also loved tanning on the beach of Puerto Vallarta, wearing a big pink hat with movie star sunglasses. Ruth travelled from Poland to Greece and from Guyana to Cancun. A Celebration of Life will be conducted at Harris Funeral Home, 220 St. James St. at Richmond, London on Sunday, September 28 at 1 pm.  Reception to follow. Interment Maitland Cemetery, Goderich at a later date. Memorial contributions to the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre or the MS Society in her name would be appreciated.