Ruby Watland, 87
Poulsbo resident Ruby Watland died Feb. 11, 2005 in Seattle. She was 87.
Watland was born to Charles and Agnes Sellers in Kansas City, Kan. on March 23, 1917.
She married Alf Watland on Nov. 7, 1935.
Watland moved to the Pearson area when she was 9 years old and attended Pearson Elementary and graduated from North Kitsap High School in 1935.
She and her husband had four children and made their first home in Keyport before moving to Poulsbo in 1959. She opened Ruby’s Flower Shop in downtown Poulsbo in 1950. In 1954, she and other community leaders created the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce.
She was part of the beautification team that painted and cleaned up downtown Poulsbo. She helped with Christmas decorations, promotions and suggested that merchants embrace the Norwegian culture by wearing traditional costumes for events.
In 1961, Watland was the first woman named “Man of the Year” by the Poulsbo Chamber and in 1963, she became the first woman elected as Chamber president. She also helped start the Miss Poulsbo Pageant in 1954 and was the driving force behind the merger of the Miss Poulsbo Pageant and the Miss America Organization in 2000. Last year, the pageant honored her by creating the “Ruby Watland Community Service Leadership Award.”
Watland was a longtime member of Christ Memorial Church. She was a Sunday school teacher for many years and served on their Missions Board. She founded “Love and Loss” group which helps grieving families deal with the loss of a loved one.
She is survived by her son Gary Watland of Poulsbo; daughter Barbara (Bill) Tinius of Yuma, Ariz.; sisters Eunice Marcelete Eslick of Selah and Hazel Catherene Betker of Yakima; six grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Alf Watland, son Fred Watland, infant daughter Ruby Deanna, brother James Sellers and sister Delores Jean Berkes.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 17 at Christ Memorial Church in Poulsbo. In lieu of flowers, send donations to “Love and Loss” ministry at Christ Memorial Church in Poulsbo or to the “Ruby Watland Community Service Leadership Award” at P.O. Box 2703, Poulsbo, WA 98370.
