Ruth Ellen Burton
April 7, 1941 - September 16, 2026
It is with great sadness that the family share the news of the passing of Ruth Ellen Burton on Thursday September 16th, 2026 at 9:07 pm.
Ruth was born in Kirkland Lake, ON on April 7, 1941, at Kirkland Lake District Hospital, across from the former KLCVI, to parents Margaret Isabel Carhart (Ball) and Raymond John Carhart. Ruth was predeceased by her parents, husband (Joseph William Burton), and brother (John Douglas Carhart). She is survived by her sons Brian Campbell (Naomi) and Mark Little (Sue), sister-in-law Kathy Carhart, niece Kari Lyn Carhart (Andrea), nephew Mark Carhart (Kristen), grandchildren Tamara (Nick), Jeni, Tori, Luke, Jake, and Willa Mac. She will be missed by her partner Lou Pezzello and his daughters Valerie, Daryl, and Nadelle and many close friends she considered family.
Ruth spent her youth in the north in Kirkland Lake. Brownies and Girl Guides were a huge part of her life growing up. She belonged to the local figure skating club, and following in the footsteps of her father and brother, the curling club. Ruth left the north to begin her career as an adult with Air Canada, down in Toronto. Her strong work ethic, dynamic, friendly, and sparkling personality were highly recognized by Air Canada through her roles and letters of acknowledgement of a job very well done. Not long after joining Air Canada, she was assigned to Las Vegas to oversee the first charter flight between Toronto and Las Vegas. Within days of being there, she met Joseph “Joe” Burton wandering through a casino. Shortly after, they were happily married on Valentine’s Day 1970.
Ruth and Joe shared a life of travel together (after some coercion into trying his first cruise) cruising all over the world. The shortest being a 4 day, the longest 96 days. They split their time between cruising, Sarnia, and Florida, where plenty of lifelong friendships started, laughs were had, and memories made. Sadly in 2016, Joe passed away and Ruth was supported by her family and friends. Ruth’s love of being social and cruising continued over the years - including a punk rock cruise and many others. On one cruise in particular, a Norwalk virus caused the cruise to be cut short. Thankfully Ruth had met a friend, Lou and together they spent the last 8 years building even more memories and friendships. Lou and Ruth spent their time cruising, at Lou’s Florida home and in Sarnia. In her downtime, Ruth spent many hours involved with local music festivals - The Lambton County Music Festival, Provincial Music Festival, and the Festival of Stars.
Ruth lived life to the fullest and will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, sparkling blue eyes, and for her love of helping people around her no matter what the circumstances may be. Her strong spirit and determination in all things in life made her who she was. That spirit was well balanced out by her ability to make people feel like they were the most important person in the room. She was a naturally warm person to be around and could be found knitting or crocheting hats, mitts and other items for folks to recognize their needs or special occasions. We acknowledge and appreciate the compassionate care and the sense of family made through the relationships built during Ruth’s time in Rosewood and at Bluewater Health.
Cremation has taken place and in consideration of Ruth’s wishes, a small private family gathering will be organized at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to any of the following: Bluewater Health - Palliative Care Unit or Rehab Unit or the Canadian Cancer Society Wheels of Hope Program.
John William Scott
April 5th, 1941 - September 27th, 2026
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of John William Scott of Sarnia, who passed away peacefully, although “not having much fun” on September 27, 2026 at the age of 85.
Born on April 5, 1941, John lived his life grounded in family, faith, and community. John was predeceased by his beloved wife, Bea, and is survived by his children Mark (Carole), Cathy Geisler (Michael) and Sandy. He cherished his time with his grandchildren Sarah and Christopher Scott, Callie and Colton Geisler, and Jessie and DJ Hillier. He will be deeply missed by his surviving brother Chuck Scott (Gail) and sister Patricia Lewis, and many nieces, nephews, aunts, and cousins from the Scott, McBride, and Fryett families. John is especially thankful for close friends Hilly, Marlene Lukey, Terry and Ingrid Mason, and his Camlachie United Church family.
John’s memory will live forward in the many communities he was part of. From Parkinsons exercise classes and annual walks, to Camlachie United Church, to the Inn of the Good Shepherd, John lived a life helping others. He was a cherished SCITS coach and guidance counsellor, and finished his teaching career at the Adult Learning Centre. Even in his final weeks, we continued to meet people who remembered “Mr. Scott” for the gentle, kind way he helped them find their way through young adulthood, a testament to the meaningful work he did.
John loved to garden, build, and fix stuff. He kept a daily jogging streak and if he wasn’t making sawdust, he liked to be outdoors puttering in the yard, walking, biking or canoeing. He loved his crosswords, time in the hammock, a refreshing dip in the lake and Friday nights at Stokes.
Bea and John loved to bring people together. Our family memories are filled with laughter from weekends with the Neal and Evans families, annual family picnics and days at the Blue Jays games. Scott family backyard gatherings celebrated everything from big birthdays to the Blue Bombers, to going away parties and anniversaries.
Visitation will be held on Friday, October 2, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home, 1576 London Line, Sarnia. A private family burial will be held. A funeral service will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. followed by a reception, at Smith Funeral Home. All are welcome.
Donations are suggested to be made in John’s memory to the charity of your choice. Some of John’s favourites include the Inn of the Good Shepherd, St. Joseph’s Hospice, Parkinson’s Society, or Camlachie United Church (cheques only at the funeral home please).
The family extends immense gratitude to the many healthcare providers who supported John, with special thanks to the 4th Floor Bluewater Health team and the caring folks at St. Joseph’s Hospice.
