On October 25, 1937 at Miss Hill’s Hospital in Cobram, a girl, Ruth, was born to Cobram orchardists May and Bob Pullar.
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Ruth would be followed over a number of years later by her three brothers, Philip (deceased), Geoffrey and James.
The Pullars worked hard on their orchard, and their name was to become synonymous with success in the stone fruit industry throughout the region.
Their four children attended the state school in Cobram, which at that time was the only school in town other than the convent school.
After completing Year 6 in Cobram, Ruth attended boarding school at Presbyterian Ladies College in Burwood for the following six years.
Then Ruth went on to Invergowrie Finishing School, where young women learnt fine manners and the attributes required of a young lady during that time.
However, there are always those who can’t help but break the rules. Ruth, with her cheeky fun-loving manner, was fortunate not to be dismissed when found to be wearing thongs on the lawn outside the magnificent building house in Invergowrie.
It appeared such attire was not considered acceptable for a young lady at the time.
Ruth decided at age 18 to become a mothercraft nurse and enrolled at the Tweddle Nursing Home for Babies.
She loved it and found positions all over the state as well as in Sydney.
However, it eventually became time to return to Cobram where she met the love of her life, Ron Ritchie, at a function at Thompsons Beach.
He was a handsome young man, a cattle farmer, quiet but with a great smile, and the couple hit it off immediately.
They married in 1961 in Cobram and left for a honeymoon in Moree, NSW. On the way they stopped off at a cattle sale, an absolute must for any serious cattleman who loved his Poll Herefords.
The couple produced four daughters, Leisa, Jane, Megan and Vanessa, and the reality of life as a mum began for Ruth as the girls’ activities also involved her.
Their education began at Eileen Taylor Kindergarten, and their primary years were spent at Cobram Consolidated School.
There, Ruth served on the committee for 13 years and was made a life member.
The family played tennis, golf and netball, and also swam competitively.
In all, life was full to the extreme.
With the girls members of Cobram Brownies, Ruth began a second Brownie Pack, due to considerable interest in town.
Ruth was voted president of the Cobram Netball Club and became the first female elected to the committee of the Cobram Football Club.
“At a time when there was a ‘cattle crash’ and life on the farm became financially strained, Ron and I needed a holiday and with little cash available, we borrowed two tents from John Anderson, one for the girls and one for us, plus a smaller one for the kitchen,” Ruth said.
“It was fabulous, and the girls loved it!
“We were camped about one mile away from home and I would drop into the house and put a leg of lamb in the oven and Ron would bring it out to our camp when he finished watering, and then we all sat down to a delicious hot roast dinner. It was wonderful!
“We would go most holidays and Ron packed everything he could find. We all loved it so much!”
Life continued to grow busier, yet Ruth could not resist the challenge of taking on leadership roles within her community.
She loved Cobram and was prepared to put up her hand and help out wherever needed.
In 1982, Ruth was asked to be a correspondent at the Cobram Courier, as management knew she was involved in many aspects of the community and could provide a wealth of information to readers.
This she certainly did with her column, ‘Round About with RR’. She would go on to write the column for almost 30 years.
Ruth was not provided with a computer, but had to write all her copy long-hand. Later she took typing lessons and would type up her copy.
No photos were taken because Ruth wasn’t given a camera. She did it the hard way, yet she provided people with news from their community, and everyone loved it and looked forward to reading the paper each week.
There was nothing else quite like ‘Round About with RR’.
In 1991/92, Ruth became shire president after being elected a councillor a year or two earlier after her good friend Margaret Dick had paved the way several years earlier as the first female shire president at Cobram.
This was before the amalgamation of local councils.
In 2002, tragedy struck when Ruth lost her beloved husband, Ron.
The couple had done everything together and were a vital part of each other’s lives.
Ron was heavily involved in the Royal Agricultural Society throughout Victoria.
He was a popular man, extremely affable and well regarded for his general knowledge, and would regularly attend country shows around the state with Ruth.
Two years later, Ruth’s beloved mum, May, passed away, a short time after her 90th birthday. She was a dearly loved Cobram identity.
In 2003, Ruth Ritchie was awarded the Cobram Citizen of the Year award for her selfless contributions on so many levels to the community.
Ruth is a long-term member of both the Cobram Garden Club and the Cobram U3A, which Ruth and Marg Coulter (dec) founded in 1984 after much discussion.
The group continues today with an enthusiastic group of members who meet at the Community House.
Ruth was the shire council representative on the committee of Cobram Community House and elected president for two years.
With four daughters, three of whom are married, nine grandchildren and the eighth great-grandchild due in two weeks’ time, life has been somewhat hectic over the years for the former mothercraft nurse.
But in her usual capable way and with a happy smile, Ruth has been a strength to her family and always available for babysitting duties.
Recovering over some weeks during COVID-19 from invasive surgery for removal of a 3cm tumour on her spine took enormous courage and grit.
But Ruth did it with trademark determination and today keeps fit walking and exercising.
Turning 88 in October, she looks a picture of health and likes nothing more than travelling, going out for day trips with friends or attending her favourite group.
Today, Ruth lives at Green Palms Village on Ritchie Rd, Cobram, on land previously owned by Ron’s parents and later by Ron and Ruth where they ran beef cattle and grew crops and tomatoes.
I guess for this wonderful woman, it is much like returning home, only with a slight difference.
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