AUGUSTA ? Ruby G. Haskell Rideout, 95, made her transition peacefully in Augusta, Friday, March 29, 2002, with her daughter, Brenda Ward, at her side. Ruby had been a resident of MaineGeneral Rehab & Nursing Care at Gray Birch for the past 12 years since surviving a stroke. She was born in Sidney, March 5, 1907, one of 15 children of Perley and Ida (Smith) Haskell. Prior to her illness, Ruby enjoyed a full and active life. She had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed entertaining family and friends in her home. She always took pride in her home and her family. She loved flowers, plants and gardening, and could always make things grow when others couldn't. While growing up in Sidney, she would walk long distances to school to gather firewood for the one-room schoolhouse she attended. As a young woman, she worked at Vickery Hill Publishing Co. in Augusta. After her marriage in 1932, she devoted her life to being a wife and companion to Clyde Rideout and a mother to their two daughters. Later she was employed by D.W. Adams and Fanny Farmer in Augusta and was a store clerk at the former Stevens School in Hallowell. Ruby has always been a woman of great courage, strength and strong will. She will be deeply and sadly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her. She was predeceased by her husband in 1960, her parents and several siblings. She is survived by two daughters, Nancy Rideout of San Diego, Calif., and Brenda Flaherty Ward of Hallowell; a grandson, Thomas Flaherty of New York, N.Y.; four sisters; and several nieces and nephews in Maine, Vermont and California. Visiting will be held 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, at Knowlton & Hewins Funeral Home, 1 Church St., Augusta, where a funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 3. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery in Augusta. Ruby's daughters gratefully acknowledge the kindness, empathy and care shown by the nursing staff at Gray Birch during their mother's lengthy residence there.