Ruth Lenore Hood was born in Toronto, Ontario on September 25, 1919. She grew up in Gananoque, Ontario, where she received her primary and secondary schooling; and attended Queen's University, from which earned a BA in 1941. She worked briefly in Ottawa prior to attending McGill University to obtain her nursing degree, which she received in 1947. In 1952, she married Lou Horlick, and together they moved to Saskatoon where he had accepted a position with the University of Saskatchewan. Initially intended by them to be a temporary posting, Saskatoon soon became home and both Ruth and Lou Horlick became active members of the community. Ruth has been honoured with numerous awards, including the Canada Volunteer Award (1988), the YWCA Woman of the Year Award (1989), the Correctional Service of Canada Volunteer Award (1990), and the Canada Confederation Medal (1992). Ruth Horlick died in Saskatoon on February 21, 2015.