Ruth A. Martin 1913 - 2011 SHAFTSBURY, VT Miss Ruth A. Martin, 97, formerly a resident of Westview Place in Shaftsbury, passed away peacefully Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011, at the Centers For Living and Rehabilitation in Bennington. Ruth was born at Camp Brook in Bethel on March 12, 1913, the only child of Walter E. and Eula C. Washburn Martin. She attended Camp Brook School, and entered Whitcomb High School in Bethel in 1927. Until the flood in November in 1927, she made the five mile trip daily (with horse and wagon) to Bethel with her father who worked for the telephone company. After the flood, the family moved to Bethel Village as the roads were impassable. After graduating from high school in 1931, she entered Castleton Normal School and graduated from the elementary education two-year course in 1933. Later she attended night classes, workshops, and summer school and obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from Castleton in 1955. In the fall of 1940, her family moved to Chelsea, where they lived until her father's death, and in 1950 she and her mother moved to Shaftsbury where she resided since that time. Ruth retired from teaching in 1978 after 44 years of faithful service; 16 of them were in Brookfield, Braintree, Tunbridge, Chelsea and Strafford. The last 28 years were in Shaftsbury. She loved the children and enjoyed teaching, so retirement did not come easy. Ruth had a very special friend whom she met in 1939 at summer school in Burlington, Mary Walker. Mary and her mother moved to Shaftsbury in the '50s and also lived at Westview Place. Ruth was Mary's caregiver for many years. In 1983, Ruth was instrumental in getting her college classmates reunited for their 50th reunion. Many friendships were renewed and during winters she spent in Florida with her classmate, Beatrice McWayne. Ruth loved to travel and had visited all the states and all towns in Vermont. She was a member of the 251 Club and was a Plus Member. She was a member of Chelsea Grange No. 362, Justin Morrill Pomona Grange, Vermont Historical Society, Shaftsbury Historical Society, Bennington Southwest Retired Teachers, Vermont Retired Teachers, Shaftsbury Methodist Church, Garden Club and was director and served as treasurer of the Mary Monroe Hawkins Memorial Library for many years. She is survived by several cousins and many friends and former students whom she loved and cherished dearly. FUNERAL NOTICE: Graveside funeral services will be held in the spring in the family lot in Woodland Cemetery in Rochester, VT. A time of fellowship and visitation will be announced at a later date. If friends desire, memorial gifts may be made to the Mary Monroe Hawkins Memorial Library in Shaftsbury, VT, Shaftsbury Garden Club or North Shaftsbury Community Club, c/o Hanson-Walbridge Funeral Home P.O. ox 957 Bennington, VT 05201. To send the family email condolences please visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com. The family has entrusted arrangements to the care of HANSON-WALBRIDGE FUNERAL HOME 213 West Main Street Bennington, VT.
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Published in Bennington Banner from Feb. 7 to Feb. 8, 2011
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