Ruby Mae (Reaume) Montri

Ruby Mae (Reaume) Montri, 93 years of Temperance, Michigan passed away Sunday, July 16, 2023, surrounded by her loving family in ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital.  Ruby will lie-in-state on Monday, July 24, 2023, at St. Gabriel Catholic Parish / St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ida, MI, from 9:30am until the Mass of the Resurrection at 11am.  Deacon Mike Hammond will co-officiate with Father David Burgard of St. Mary Catholic Church (Monroe, MI).  A private burial will take place at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Maybee, MI.

Ruby was one of five children of Royal and Myrna (Roberts) Reaume. She was born on April 2, 1930, and was raised on the family farm in Newport, Michigan.

Ruby attended St. Charles Catholic Elementary school in Newport, MI and St. Mary Academy in Monroe, MI. She graduated in 1947 at the age of 17. Ruby worked at Mercy Hospital in Monroe as a switchboard operator and soon found out that was not the job for her. She then attended St. Vincent School of Nursing in Toledo, Ohio, and graduated as an RN in 1952. February 14, 1953, Ruby married her first love, Norbert Masson, a farmer. They lived in Maybee, MI and had two children, Dorothy and William. Sadly, Norbert died at age 33 of Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 1963. Ruby then married Orville Montri, a widowed farmer, on September 26, 1964. Orville had four children from his first wife - Gail Keane, Kathy (Pete) Opfermann, Harold “Chip” Montri and Bonnie (Scott) Boylan. They combined families and lived in Ida, MI on the family farm. Ruby worked as a nurse for Mercy Memorial Hospital in Monroe, Michigan for 30 years. She then retired and went on to work 17 more years at the Lutheran Home. Caring for others was her lifetime passion. Ruby and Orville enjoyed 54 years of life together and Ruby had many happy memories from that time. They traveled much in the United States and Canada after they retired. Orville preceded her in death May 20, 2019. 

Ruby was a devout Catholic. One of her great pleasures was traveling to the Fatima Shrine in Portugal. Ruby was active in the St. Joseph, Ida parish. She baked pies and cakes for many functions, including cookies for those homebound that she delivered Communion to weekly for many years. After retiring from the Lutheran Home Ruby’s career became baking, cleaning, and daily prayer. One of her daily prayers included a deep petition to God that someone somewhere at that moment who may be considering a choice that would harm themself or someone else would be open to God’s presence and perhaps make a different better choice.

Survivors include: children -Dorothy (Masson) Ciacelli, Steven Singleton (significant other of Dorothy), daughter in-law Sue Masson, Harold "Chip" Montri, Gail Keane, Kathy (Pete) Opfermann, Bonnie (Scott) Boylan; sister Audrey (Ronald) Stein.  Grandchildren: Kathryn (Richard) Spencer, Angelina “Gina” (Timothy) Roberts, Teresa Ciacelli, and Sarah (Mark) Lambert, Joseph and Christine Masson, Kirk (Kathy), Leslie, and Doug (Angie Bert) Keane, Krisha (Christian) Howell, Michelle (Ed) Stotz, and Heather (Joseph) Rockwood, David Montri, Michael Montri, Emily (Scott) Rhodus, and Amber (Michael) Conant, Amanda Noble and Ashley Gray.  Great Grandchildren: Nicholas Ciacelli, Audie, Gianna and Liam Roberts and Lucas and Elizabeth Spencer, Hailey and Emily Lambert, Aidan Keane, Logan and Juliette Keane, Vincent Conant, Gavin, Ethan, Wyatt and Layla Rhodus, Brooklyn, Jacob and Peyton Montri, Mathis and Graham Howell, Adelyn, Conrad, Victoria and Elyse Stotz, Loxley and Hollyn Rockwood, Zamir Noble.  She was preceded in death by parents Royal and Myrna Reaume, husbands Norbert Masson and Orville Montri, siblings Merrill Reaume, Evelyn Reaume, Marilyn Blaine, sister in-law Opal (Masson) Werstein and son Bill Masson, sons in-law Richard Ciacelli, Jr. and Anthony Joseph Keane, daughters in-law Diane (Smith) Montri and Karen Buchelt.

Special thanks to the caring staff of Wellspring Skilled Nursing Facility and Alice Loraine Care Center, ProMedica Monroe Hospital exceptional care staff of 4 North and 3 South as well as the Family Medicine Residency team.     

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in honor of Ruby Montri to the Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation. Conquer.org or St Joseph Parish of Ida, Michigan.