Pam was born on June 11, 1969 in Roseburg, Or. to Daniel Boone and Ruby (Hatmaker) Boone-Wagner and was welcomed by her Robert Boone. At the age of 8 she moved to Idaho. In 1987 she graduated from Gooding High School, while working various jobs. She married Tobey Connell, in 1988 to that union was born, Ethan in 1989 and Shayna in 1992. Tobey was killed in an accident in 1993.
Pam met and married Slade Ruffing in 1997 and to that union Piper was born in 2005. The family moved to Wolf Point, MT in 2000, she worked many jobs in the Wolf Point Community before being diagnosed with cancer in July 2010. She didn’t let it get her down and fought it with all she had. Between treatments she traveled with her family to Idaho and Disney World in 2011, and Oregon in 2012 and Las Vegas and Idaho in 2013. Pam had many friends. She was preceded in death by Tobey Connell, grandparents Daniel Webster and Maude Elizabeth Boone, two aunts and two uncles; she is survived by husband Slade Ruffing of Scobey, MT; son, Ethan Connell, and daughters, Shayna Connell, and Piper Ruffing, her father Daniel Boone (Sherry) of Rio Rancho, NM; her mother Ruby Wagner (Brice) of Port Orford, OR; Brothers: Robert (Stacey) Boone of Caldwell, ID and JR (Lisa) Lackner of Litchfield, ME, Grandparents, Ernest and Inez Hatmaker of Langlois, OR; numerous aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Numerous in-laws and outlaws. Services will be held at Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel Sept. 9 2013 at 11:00 AM in Wolf Point.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences can be sent to the family using the form below.
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Monday September 9, 2013
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel
102 Custer Street
Wolf Point, MT 59201
Service Schedule
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Monday September 9, 2013
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel
102 Custer Street
Wolf Point, MT 59201
Dorothy Rensvold says
My sympathy to you Slade and Piper on the loss of your wife and mother may God be with you, even if I didn’t know Pam she was a ever special person and am sure she will be missed. Dorothy
Jason, Nyoka, Libby & Paige Twitchell says
Pam was an amazing woman who did her best all the time. There are many fond memories of her and especially enjoyed spending time with her and her family in the last few years. Our girls enjoyed traveling to her house to play with Piper, while Pam and I would visit for hours. I am going to miss her and we will keep Slade, Piper, Shayna, and Ethan in our prayers and thoughts. May she rest in peace and God bless.
Marlin & Bonnie says
Slade, Ethan, Shayna and Piper,
May God grant you peace in the loss of your wife and Mother. Pam put her faith in God the Father and Jesus Christ the son….She will be spending eternity with HIM and be waiting for all of you to join her.
Marlin and I will continue to pray for comfort for you and that HIS grace will pull you through this horrid painful time. Please cling to HIM and HE will give you strength.
Bonnie & Marlin
Jamie Gibson says
Whenever I would see Pam she was always smiling, and at all the sporting events in high school no matter if it was varsity or the c squad she was always the loudest one in the crowd cheering the team on, and she always had something positive to say.
Auntie Carol, Uncle Jim & Chris Vaughn says
Pam, after graduating high school, Gooding, ID, flew to Bakersfield, CA to visit her
Grandma Boone. At age 18 she used her graduation money for the trip. That is the
essence of my niece, Pam, always doing “whatever it takes” for someone she loves.
Her Grandma & Grandpa Hatmaker were so impressed with the commitment of
their young grand daughter, that they helped her finalize her plans when she fell
short of funds for the trip. On her way to Bakersfield, she had a stop near Los Angeles.
There was a huge crowd gathering around a man that seemed like he might be famous.
Pam walked up to the man and asked, “Are you someone my Grandma would know?”
He said,” I”m Nipsey Russell.”(a comedian and game show celebrity known for his
poetic, comic quotes) Can I get your autograph for my Grandma Boone? “Of course”,
he said, so she brought the autograph to my mom (her dad’s mom) as she was dying
of cancer. Pam lived her life well and has an amazing family to attribute that to! I met
Ethan and Shayna when they were age 4 and 2 respectively, when my son Chris was
18 months. (Yes, I was an old Mum) I met Piper and Slade this past July and I love
all of them and admire the closeness of their family. I pray that God will hold each of
Pam’s loved ones in “the hollow of His hand,” as she soars above the sky. A song by
Faith Hill, “There You’ll Be”, with lyrics on YouTube, has helped me understand my
feelings. Pam must be feeling, “I Can Only Imagine”by MercyMe! I believe she would
want all of us to feel the lyrics of “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts and “I Hope You Dance”
by Lee Ann Womack. May God Bless and allow us all the Grace we need.
Starla & Nicolas Pineda says
Our deepest sympathy to you and your family Slade. Please know people in Idaho love you and you are forever in our thoughts and prayers!
Siri & Wes Peterson says
Slade, Ethan, Shayna, and Piper,
Sending loving thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathy to your family. Pam was a beautiful person inside and out. Our family felt blessed to have known her. Her faith and courage while dealing with her cancer was an inspiration to us all. We have had many good times and visits with Pam over the years and will always cherish those memories.
Jason Cheney says
Pam, I will forever miss you. You were a great classmate and friend. May the great Lord above bless your family as they go through this time of loss. I know you will be surely missed. May you now sit with the angels and enjoy the concert on high. Thanks for being my friend!
Laurie Faulkner Bahe says
My heart breaks for all of you. I know you will treasure the memories of your wonderful wife and mom. I am so very sorry for your loss. Families are forever. Until you meet again I wish all of you the strength to continue living like I know your mom would want you to. You have a very special angel watching over you now.
I went to high school with your mom. She was a cheerleader with my sister, Cathy. I can tell by her facebook page that she was an awesome mom with a great outlook on life. She was very sweet and a lot of fun back in high school. May she rest in peace.
Laura says
Sincere condolences for your loss. May you find comfort in loving memories of laughter and times spent together, and may they bring you joy and warm your heart. A beautiful scripture that comes to mind is found at Isaiah 25:8 and says “He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces…” This brings to mind a parent lovingly and gently wiping the tears from their child’s face. Among the pages of the Bible, we find promises and hope. Revelation 21:3,4 assures us that soon death, mourning, outcry and pain will be no more. Isaiah 33:24 states that the time is soon approaching when no resident will say “I am sick”, and John 5:28,29 holds out the hope of the resurrection of those who have fallen asleep in death. May these Scriptures bring you a measure of comfort at this time.
Heather Adams Callahan says
Pam,
You will be missed in this world. Even though I haven’t seen you in many years, you were so full of spark and so much fun in high school. May God watch over your family as they try to remember the great memories of you every day and continue to grow in their individual lives to meet you again some day. Rest in Peace Beautiful.
Nick Gonzales says
I have over the past couple days been remembering all the good times Pam and I had from fifth grade all the way through high school. She was such a good person and I will treasure those memories forever. My heart goes out to her family. I bet she is listening to Meat Loaf with the other angels in heaven.
Nick Gonzales says
I have been thinking over the past couple of days of all the great memories I have of Pam from the fifth grade in Mr. Roberts class all the way through high school. I will forever treasure these memories. Pam was a great person. I want her family to know they are in my prayers. I know Pam is in heaven with the rest of the angels listening to Meatloaf.
Staci Davis Joost says
My heart goes out to Slade & the children & parents & everyone who knew her and was close to her! No words can ever bring the comfort you will crave in the loss of such a wonderful lady! The memories you all share will be forever close to your heart. You will recieve strength through each other & sharing all of those wonderful memories. My heart aches for the days ahead for all of you. May the thought of her smiling face & laughter bring you some peace!
I knew her from when she was our neighbor in Wendell and she worked at the snack bar. She always greeted us with a smile and was always ready to chat about things that were going on in town.
According to others she fought cancer with all she had and seemed to face it head on. I am sure that took so much strength & bravery! It goes to show the true character that this fine lady had.
My thoughts & prayers will be with you all in the days that lie ahead!
May love be with you all!
Staci Davis Joost
Nancy Sietsema says
Dearest Slade, Ethan, Shayna, Piper, Ruby and family,
I feel so honored to have become such a close friend with Pam. Pam was the true meaning of courage and she had a “Fight” in her that never gave up until the end. I spent many hours with Pam in the last few years and with all she was going through, she always had time to be there for me when I needed a friend to vent to or share the wonderful things happening in my life. She will always be my “Forever Friend” and I know I will have a “Beautiful Angel” watching over me.
I Pray for comfort to come to your family through this time. I Love You All.
Love
Nancy
JR and Liza Lackner says
We were so privileged to be able to have found Pam and her family several years ago. /to know that JR could finally meet his dad and sister was the greatest joy ever! Although it has only been a short time, it feels like Pam was always in our lives. Slade, Ethan, Shayna, Piper and Ruby, you will forever be in our hearts . It is a blessing knowing that Pam is next to our father in heaven. We will see you again Pam!
Keith E. Davis, MD says
Pam was a blessing to everyone she met. I was her family physician in Idaho for several years. It is clear from these “thoughts and memories” that Pam knew her Savior and is in a better place than we can ever imagine.
Trisha (fisher) Twitchell says
My love and prayers go out to Pam’s family and friends at this time..I met Pam and her family when they moved to gooding Idaho..they lived right around the corner from me. I took care of Pam when her mom worked the night shift at the Tupperware plant. Wonderful girl she was..she will be missed. I never had the chance to meet her children but maybe one day I will..with all my love you will be missed
Dave and Elizabeth Fyfe says
You are in our prayers Pam was a very special person may God bless you all
Linda and Earl Brown says
Dearest Slade, Ethan, Shayna, Piper and family, our hearts are so heavy with your loss. Pam was such a sweet and loving soul. Giving and devoted to her family and God. Now she sits with the Father watching over her beautiful family. She will forever be your special angel. We have spent hours looking back at old pictures and remembering fond memories. Our girls Branda and Sheri were cheerleaders together and our sons , Danny and Kurt played sports while she cheered. She was a true and beautiful friend to all. She is an inspiration to all of us, showing such courage and grace. We will alwaysbe grateful for her presence in our life. You are all in our prayers. Love, Earl & Linda Brown and family
Sharon says
Pams Family….
Words cannot express the inspiration Pam should be to all of us….Her smile and courage will not be forgotten in the hearts and minds of everyone who knew her. She touched alot of lives with her valiant fight…..I am so thankful that I got to see her and have a true heart to heart visit with her a few weeks ago. A few moments spent with her was a life changer for me … There is a new angel in charge:)
Take heart Slade and kids in knowing that her suffering was not in vain….she touched many with her battle.
In sympathy
Sharon and Taylor
Debbie Hunt (fka Metzger) says
I grew up with Pam and would have graduated with her from Gooding High School, had I not moved to the State of Washington. I remember her smile and laugh. I recently reconnected with Pam on Facebook. It was great to see her and how she had grown up, and her family. In the talks that Pam and I shared, you knew she was proud of her children.
Wishing you all peace, healing, and time. Know your Mom/Wife will be watching over you and walking with you everyday.
Dean & Terri Vine says
We are so sad to hear of Pam’s passing! Know that you and the kids are in our thoughts and prayers! May God’s strength be with you during this difficult time! Love, the Vine’s