Educator, community activist.
Born in the Rural Municipality of Macdonald on 24 February 1936 to Eva Kathleen Jacobs (1907-2007) and Alexander Orchison Mitchell (1904-1952), and known by her second name, Ruth, her childhood was spent at Carberry. She was at the time only the second woman from the town to attend Brandon College, despite the expectations of her community, who, she said, wanted her to keep to her station and work as a telephone operator. She graduated with a BEd degree in 1957, and while there, married classmate George Jackson Strang on 23 August 1955. She taught at Shoal Lake School (1955-1957) and Crystal City School (1957-1958) before taking time off to raise their children. After her divorce in 1968, she returned to work teaching math at Tec Voc High School (1968-1969) and other Winnipeg schools.
As one of a group of feminist activists, that included Bev Goodwin, Jean Carson, Berenice Barbara Warne Sisler, Zöe Budd, Win Loewen, and June Menzies, she lobbied the Manitoba government for progressive reforms in family law during the 1970s. While her work career continued to span diverse occupations — teacher, accountant, bed-and-breakfast proprietor — she also served as Executive Director of the Manitoba Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and Director of the Policy Unit of the Manitoba Women’s Directorate.
Beyond her career and volunteerism, she was an accomplished cook and host; loved to travel in Europe, usually including various family members and friends; sewed her family’s clothes for several years; took up scrapbooking and quilting in retirement; and was known as someone who defied convention and often challenged authority.
With her first husband she had four children. In her second marriage, to F. Ross Browne (1928-1999), she acquired three stepchildren. At the time of her death, she was married to Alexander “Alec” Cruickshank, who brought along three children from a previous relationship.
She died at Winnipeg on 2 May 2012.
“Ruth Mitchell and George Strang wed at bride’s home,” Brandon Sun, 25 August 1955, page 5.
Winnipeg Divorce File Index, 1917-1984, Archives of Manitoba.
Obituary [F. Ross Browne], Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 1999.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 5 May 2012.
“Eva Ruth Mitchell,” FamilySearch Family Tree, MyHeritage.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 19 June 2026
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