Isabelle Pisko passed away peacefully on December 2, 2020 at the astonishing age of 107 at the Coaldale Health Center.

Isabelle was born on May 11, 1913 to Uria and Sylvio Ruaben in Lethbridge. As a child her family moved to the Drumheller area, where she attended school before eventually returning to the Lethbridge area. It was in Lethbridge where she brought up her son Richard and married the love of her life, Michael Pisko. 

Isabelle was gifted musically. She had an incredible voice and sang both in choral groups and as a soloist performing alongside the Lethbridge Symphony.  Friends and family would often request for her to sing her favorite song, “When I Take my Sugar to Tea”.  Isabelle was also an accomplished pianist and dancer. She danced both competitively and for recreation, dancing her way into her 80s with Michael as her partner on the ballroom floor. 

As a young woman Isabelle worked at Hoyt’s Sporting Goods and at a women’s dress shop. Perhaps, it was here where Isabelle began to curate a wardrobe that she could rival top fashionistas. 

After marrying Michael, she worked side-by-side with him at City Sign Company, which they sold upon retiring. 

When her son Richard retired and moved back to Canada, Isabelle was overjoyed when he moved back into their home to help care for them. It was in this house that Isabelle lived right up until ‘Richie’ passed away in September of 2019. This little white house in the London Road area, that Isabelle and Michael made a home together, was filled with beautiful antiques, imported furniture and collectibles that they purchased over the years and was magazine worthy. The walls were covered in Michael’s paintings, an accomplished and celebrated Southern Alberta artist.

Isabelle loved her family fiercely. She was incredibly proud and protective of her brothers, Mario and Ittalo, and spoke of them often. Isabelle had a special relationship with two of her great nephews, Neil and Michael Ruaben, who both spent a great deal of time visiting with Isabelle and Richard in their home, when blindness and deafness limited Isabelle’s mobility. She also had a special connection with her great, great nephew, Nico, who was born the year Isabelle turned 100. Once she moved into the Coaldale Health Centre, visitors became limited due to COVID, however, Neil, along with her nephew Lyle Pennington and niece, Helen Ruaben, visited whenever they could. 

Besides her loving husband, Michael, Isabelle was predeceased by her parents, Uria and Sylvio; her step-father Saverio Bridarolli; her son, Richard; two brothers Mario Ruaben, (killed in action in Germany liberating the Dutch in 1945) , and Ittalo Ruaben; as well as her niece Valerie Ruaben. Isabelle leaves behind 3 generations of nieces and nephews, cousins and close friends. 

A special thank you to the Coaldale Heath Centre, nurses and doctors for their kindness and compassion during Isabelle’s stay. 

A private family Graveside Service will be held in the family plot in Mountain View Cemetery.