RUTH L. BEAUMONT

1933 - 2017

BEAUMONT, RUTH L.Ruth L. Beaumont, of New Haven, CT died January 25 at the age of 83. Born October 26, 1933, to Floyd and Helen (Baker) Baxter in South Milwaukee, WI, Ruth Louise enlisted in the Air Force at 18. During her service, Ruth wrote a column for WAFs under the byline of "Ricky Baxter." Ruth excelled in synchronized swimming and was a midwestern finalist in Otto Preminger's famous search for an unknown beauty to play "Saint Joan." Ruth studied drama and earned her Karate Black Belt in California. She ran a "dojo" in Sudbury Ontario with her fourth husband Bob Dalgleish, known as the "father of Canadian Goju." Moving to New Haven in 1976, she taught karate and women's self-defense while also starting a 23-year career as an administrator in Yale University's Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. In 1977, she co-founded CT's leading women's theatre company, The Theatre of Light & Shadow, and acted in many TLS productions. Ruth worked to establish Local 34, the union of Yale's Clerical and Technical Workers, which led to a bitter strike for recognition in 1984. Upon her retirement, she continued to act and direct for many New Haven theatres, and had a second career as a "professional patient" for medical training. Pre-deceased by her brother Richard, she is survived by her sister-in-law Beverly and two nephews.A memorial service will be held at 5pm, Wed. Feb 1, at Bethesda Lutheran Church, 450 Whitney Ave, New Haven.