Cory and Ruby de Jong together in life, death
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Cory and Ruby de Jong were seldom apart during their nearly 65 years of marriage.
Even toward the end, though separated in different rooms of the same nursing home, they asked to be wheeled together every day. They would lie side by side for hours, holding hands.
Until about six months ago, before Mr. de Jong became ill, he drove to see his wife at the nursing home twice a day, every day.
The Redmond couple passed away within three days of each other. She died first, on March 30 after a long illness, and he followed April 2 of cancer.
Both were 88.
Their son, Cory de Jong III of Redmond, said his mother's death had surprised the family because she had been ill for more than two years but without any change.
His father was diagnosed with cancer in August, and his health had quickly deteriorated in the past two months.
"Once she figured out how sick my father was, I think she just gave up," de Jong said.
The couple's daughter, Jo Ann Tangen of Auburn, believes her father didn't want to leave her mother alone.
"When we told him about her death," she said, "he was on heavy-duty cancer drugs and couldn't talk, but I'm pretty sure he was aware."
Ruby Richardson was born Oct. 8, 1913, in Corfu, Grant County. Beginning at age 14, she and her late twin brother helped raise their seven younger brothers and sisters when their mother fell ill.
Despite the hard work, she graduated from Redmond High School in 1930.
She met Cory de Jong at a weekend dance in Avondale, and they married June 11, 1937.
Mr. de Jong was born June 19, 1913, in Easton, Kittitas County. He graduated from Tolt High School in Carnation and worked at a dairy farm, then at a chocolate shop. He and his brother once rode a freight train to Chicago to buy his first truck, a 1936 GMC.
He used that truck to start a small business hauling lumber and grain. But when World War II hit and gas was hard to come by, Mr. de Jong found a job at a shipyard.
After the war, he started De Jong Sawdust & Shavings in Redmond, which his son runs today. For years, Mrs. de Jong answered the phones and kept the books for the company, which they ran out of their kitchen.
Mr. de Jong and his son watched the business grow from one truck to 12, eventually shifting from selling mostly animal bedding to landscaping soil and compost.
Even after Mr. de Jong retired in 1978, he didn't stay away from the business, which by then was behind the family home in a shop.
"He hated throwing things away," his son said, "so whenever we would toss something, he'd find it and fix it."
Mr. and Mrs. de Jong's passion, besides the business, was dancing. They had belonged to a Redmond dance club and continued to dance until a few years ago.
"They came from the Depression, and there wasn't much time for hobbies," their son said. "My father was always working."
Tangen recalled her father bringing gladiolas to her mother on her and her brother's birthdays. He also bought her fancy boxes of chocolates on Valentine's Day, boxes that she hung on the wall of the home they shared for 40 years.
Tangen said her parents' 64-year marriage wasn't perfect but that they loved each other deeply.
"My father used to say this generation doesn't stick around long enough to work out the hard times," she said.
"They had their ups and downs like any couple does. They were wonderful parents and honest, hardworking people."
Besides the son and daughter, the couple is survived by Mrs. de Jong's sister, Katy Horton of Woodinville, and eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
A memorial service has been held.
Colleen Pohlig can be reached at 206- 515-5655 or cpohlig@seattletimes.com.