Ruth Margaret Edin Granger, 96, was born on March 1, 1913, and died on March 1, 2009. Mrs. Granger was a long-time resident of Mercer Island. She and her husband, Al, moved to the Island in 1945 and resided in the East Seattle area, and never left. Born and raised on the Columbia River at Kalama, Mrs. Granger was educated at Kalama High School and graduated in 1931. She graduated from nursing school, Mt. St. Vincent in Portland, Ore., in 1934. Upon graduation, she continued her education in anesthetics at the University of Oregon, graduating there in 1936. She then moved to Seattle and worked as a registered nurse anesthetist at Providence Hospital. It was then that she met and married her husband, Al. Over the years, Mrs. Granger worked in the local medical community and at one point was the first director of nursing at the Mercer View Convalescent Center on Mercer Island. She worked until age 83, spending the last decades of her career in rehab nursing and ending her career at Providence Hospital in Seattle where it had begun.

Mrs. Granger was a founding member of St. Monica Catholic Church. She had been devoted to the Virgin Mary throughout her life; she was active in the Legion of Mary, Rosary Makers and the Alter Society. She was also an active member and past president of the Seattle Emblem Club #110, where she also held a variety of other offices.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger raised three children, all of whom graduated from Mercer Island High School. Mrs. Granger especially enjoyed the flora and fauna of Mercer Island, where she lived for 64 years. She was a member of the Louisa Denny Garden Club and was known to her local community as “the flower lady,” as she would place cut flowers in containers on her front steps for all to take and enjoy as they wished. She also enjoyed traveling with her sister, children, grandchildren and friends, introducing them to various parts of the world.

Mrs. Granger is survived by her long-time friend and confidant, Gail MacDonald; children, Carolyn Haven, of Federal Way; and Howard (Kathy) Granger, of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho; three grandchildren, Gary (Jennifer) Haven, Jennifer (Jason) Granger Benedetti and Sean (Monica) Bannon; and five great-grandchildren, Alexis and Kaycie Haven, Sophia Benedetti, Madison and Nathan Bannon.

Services have been held.