Ruth B. Aram

5/12/1918 — 10/16/2018

Service Date: 10/27/2018
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Mother, Grandmother, Mom

Your life was a blessing,

Your memory a treasure,

You are loved beyond words,

And missed beyond measure.

Ruth Bernadine Lightfield Aram, 100, passed away peacefully in her sleep Oct. 16, 2018, at Golden Girls Retirement Center in Lewiston. She was born May 12, 1918, in Cottonwood, to Ben and Martha Lightfield, and was the youngest of four children. Her father was a lumberman, and she lived her early years with her family at various logging operations, chiefly at Craigmont and Orofino. Moving back to Cottonwood around 1928, where she graduated from high school. She vividly remembered the Wall Street Market crash and The Great Depression. In 1944, she graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in Business Administration, then enlisted in the Coast Guard and served at Coast Guard Headquarters, located in lower Manhattan. October 21, 2018

After being discharged in 1946, she returned to Lewiston to resume her seven-year, on-again, off-again romance with James S. Aram, a Lewiston real estate broker and half owner of the Ford Tractor Agency. Ruth and Jim were married at St. Stanislaus Church on November 24, 1946, and made their home in Lewiston, except for a short time in the Boise Valley. In 1950, she received a degree in education from LCSC but did not work outside her home. She enjoyed being a homemaker and had many interests, including reading, gardening, cooking and sewing, genealogy, a study of history and politics, playing bridge, entertaining, having house guests and singing in the St. Stanislaus Church choir. She loved to travel and made several trips abroad with Jim. Together they were great sports fans and attended many ballgames. Organizations to which she belonged to were the Nez Perce County Republican Women’s Club, St. Mary’s League, Women of Lourdes, Catholic Daughters of America, P.E.O. Sisterhood and she was an St. Joseph Regional Medical Center Auxiliary Associate member.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Ben and Martha Lightfield; and brothers Robert, Mark and Bill. Ruth is survived by sons Vance (Patti) and Thomas (Beth); grandchildren Angie Yochum (James), Marci Walker (Peter), Kristina Henriksen (David), Phillip Aram; and five great grandchildren.

Ruth has been cremated, and at her request the family will hold a private graveside service on Saturday, October 27th. This will be followed by a public celebration of life for friends and family at 1 p.m. at the Hells Canyon Boat Club, located at 2550 Riverside Drive, Clarkston.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate in her name to either St. Vincent De Paul in Clarkston, or the All Saints Catholic School in Lewiston.