Comox Valley resident and champion for the environment Ruth Masters has passed away at the age of 97. Long-time friend and historian Judy Hagen says Masters was ahead of her time — recycling before recycling was popular. Edwin Grieve, a director with the Comox Valley R-D, says Masters was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her dedication to preserving the environment. Masters donated a piece of property she owned along Powerhouse Road to the R-D to create Masters Greenway and Wildlife Corridor.