The family of Ruth Demarest Stoughton of Tappan sadly announce her passing on January 29th at age 99. Ruth was born on January 4, 1925 to Paul Arnot Beard and Eliza Demarest Maines.. Although Ruth was a Tappan resident, she attended Haverstraw High School with many other Tappan students who took the train to Haverstraw daily. They were known as the Tappan Train Gang..
During the Second World War Ruth worked at the three PX's in Camp Shanks. She then worked 30 years for the NY Telephone Company at the offices in Sparkill, Nyack, Spring Valley and Ossining. Upon retiring she moved with her friend Marilyn Matthews to Murrells Inlet, SC where she often chatted with fellow resident author Mickey Spillane. Ruth loved driving and would often embark solo on the 12-hour drive to New York to visit family. Upon Marilyn's passing Ruth moved back to Rockland County and worked for the South Orangetown School District as a bus driver and monitor..
Ruth was an active traveler. She visited Canada, pre-Castro Cuba, and 49 of the 50 states, omitting only Hawaii (by choice). She documented the trips with many photographs and 8 mm movies.. When not traveling, she enjoyed dining with family and friends.. Ruth loved the cannolis from Anna's Bakery in Congers.. Her hobbies included crocheting and embroidery.. Everyone in the family received at least one pair of her slipper socks or an embroidered tablecloth to remember her by..
Ruth volunteered for several organizations including the Association for the Visually Impaired, the Haverstraw Brick Museum and the Tappan Zee Thrift Shop in Piermont. She drove cancer patients to medical appointments for the American Cancer Society.. She was a life member of the Order of the Eastern Star and of the Telephone Pioneers.
Ruth was predeceased by her daughter Jan Stoughton and two brothers, Paul Beard and Armand Beard.. She is survived by her son John and his partner Doreen, Congers, and daughters Durie DeMaio, West Haverstraw and Jill (William) Clancy, The Villages, FL, and grandchildren Lisa (Brian) Sullivan, Erica (Walter) Dusseldorp, Anthony Barbera, John Barbera, Ryan (Erin) Clancy, Kristin (John) Mpasiakos and 7 great-grandchildren.
Ruth will be sorely missed. We will always remember her stories and recollections of growing up in rural Tappan and her travel adventures.
Visitation Thursday, February 1st 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Hannemann Funeral Home, South Broadway, Nyack. Interment February 2nd 12:30 p.m. Tappan Cemetery, Tappan, NY.