On February 15th, Lady Jutte Roose van der Brugghe of Heraldshill (aka Royse Meingnes) died surrounded by her family after a battle with leukemia complicated by Covid.
From her daughter, Saerlaith ingen Chaicher: “Today is a very sad day in our family. Ruth Thorson, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, and a friend has sadly passed away. She left us today after a very tough battle. We were able to see her and tell her that we loved her dearly before she took the leap into the great unknown. We are all better for knowing her and enjoying the small and great pleasures that she gave us. She was always there to kiss a boo boo or when things were tough for us to help us through our troubles. There are tough days ahead knowing that there is a great hole in our hearts that nothing can fill. All we can do is live on and honor her until the day that we can meet again and wrap our arms around her again. I miss you mom already.”
Jutte’s device, “Or on a bend engrailed purpure three roses Or”, was inspired by her love of roses and her three children.
Her first event was Gulf Wars: “TBT -March 2005 – My first contact with Calontir and SCA. Daughter pleaded with me to attend Gulf Wars with her. You didn’t know me but immediately invited me in and put a plate of food and a tankard of something in my hands. Most generous and fun group of people I had ever met! Been a card-carrying member ever since. Huzzah Calontir!”
The next spring, Jutte joined the ranks of wet and cold Hillians for Military History Days in Charles City, Iowa. “I can’t remember feeling more cold, wet, and miserable in my whole life! And it was a blast! I felt so proud showing my hometown what my Shire represents and what we do.”
Jutte’s favorite part of the SCA was the fellowship she enjoyed with the other members. Many was the time you could find her milling through the merchants ostensibly checking on her merchant husband, Thorir, sharing coffee and cribbage at Odyssey Coffee, sitting around the campfire sampling the many fine potables made by fellow SCAdians, or telling one of her many “…there I was” stories.
“Just read a comment from another kingdom’s FB page. The person was asking about language that would be confusing to a newcomer. Brought back memories of the very first comments that I heard at my very first meeting. Two people were laughing and discussing how a fighter slid down a hill on his “scutum”. I misheard and couldn’t figure out what was so funny about what must have been a painful expedience. I still smile at that memory.”
Jutte enjoyed creating new garb, drumming, embroidery, needlework, stained glass and wire weaving. At Lilies War 2006 she stayed in a period pavilion of her own devising: a circular brown pavilion with gold trim all around the edge. “When you try to explain to non-SCAers about camping, they usually groan and say negative things. They don’t understand. When I camp, I like comfort. I like to be able to sit in my little home away from home on a rainy day and relax… I made it myself using a 12-foot market umbrella from Sam’s. I think the whole thing cost me $125! Couldn’t afford store-bought, but it was cozy. Some people just put up their tent, throw in the bed and the ice-chest and go. Not me, even though I have gotten some groans and head-shaking from hubby about all the extra stuff.”
Jutte suffered an unfortunate shock during that same Lilies War when she witnessed her son, Iames, die in battle for the first time. “Aaach…but it was a wee wound and he was resurrected! What mother could ask for more!”
She tried archery, but it turned out that somehow, even though she was right-handed, she was left-eye dominant so that didn’t work out so well. Jutte enjoyed the research aspect of the SCA the most, including researching her Scottish and Flemish personas. “If I am on a quest to try something new, I enjoy spending hours finding out more about it.” About the only thing that she had no desire to do was to cook. “Nope, don’t want to. Can’t make me!” And yet when we did make her, the outcome was delicious. Her Viking fløtbrød was especially addicting.
Jutte officially served her Shire and Kingdom as a voice herald, event steward, list mistress and group seneschal, but she served in so many other ways great and small. From Brigida von München, “I know I have a lot of wonderful friends, but I need to single out Jutte van der Brugghe, Juliana Macnayre, and Anastasia da Carrara. I had asked Jutte to revive her bookmaking skills for my [Pelican] ceremony on Saturday. She made the book and did the illumination, Juliana did the lovely leatherwork, and Stasi did the lovely calligraphy… Ladies, know that I’m stunned by your work and collaboration!”
The family is planning a memorial in the spring.
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