Ruth Theriault Joslin

Ruth Theriault Joslin of Waitsfield, died peacefully on December 5, 2006 in the presence of her two sons and family after complications from Alzheimer’s at the Woodridge Nursing Home in Berlin. She was born March 1, 1919 in Montpelier, the daughter of William M. and Alice (Callahan) Theriault.

She was educated in the St. Michael Grade School in Montpelier and graduated high school from Kenwood Academy in Albany, New York. She received a B.A. degree in 1940 from Georgian Court College in Lakewood, New Jersey. On September 21, 1940 she married Fletcher Baird Joslin, son of Stephen Perry and Lena (Baird) Joslin of Waitsfield.

At an early age she studied and developed a love for the cello and by 1939 was a member of the cello section of Vermont State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Allen Carter. In 1939 this group played at the World’s Fair in New York City. In 1959 she was instrumental in working with other musicians from Montpelier, Northfield and Barre to organize the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Professor John Borowitz of Norwich University. She was a member of the Capital City Trio which included Bea Kelly, piano, Margarite Haskin violin, and Ruth, cello.

In addition to her love of music, she had a great love of animals, always having German Shepherd dogs and Morgan horses. Common names in the household were Mine Liebling, Royal Crest Major, and Just-A-Vigilante. She was a member of the Central Vermont Humane Society as well as the Mad River Valley Humane Society.

She was a charter member and treasurer of the Waitsfield Historical Society. While treasurer, the society had a reprint of the Matt Bushnell Jones History of Waitsfield. In 1976 she served as chairman of Waitsfield’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of our country.

She was active in the Central Vermont Hospital Auxiliary, was a member of the Friend’s of the Joslin Memorial Library, and served as a guide at the Vermont Statehouse for several years. She was an active member of Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church of Waitsfield.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Fletcher Baird Joslin of Lincoln House in Barre, two sons, Peter B. Joslin and his wife Jolyn, and Fletcher Brian (Ted) Joslin and his wife Jean, all of Waitsfield; four grandchildren, Peter Baird Joslin, Jr. and his wife Lisa of Albany, NY, Jennifer Joslin Cincotta and her husband Anthony Cincotta of Tiverton, Rhode Island, Brian Joslin and Scott Joslin both of Waitsfield; and five great grandchildren, Hanah, Emma, and Luca Cincotta of Tiverton, RI and Carina and Jacob Baird Joslin of Albany, NY, and a nephew, William Stone and his wife, Ellen, of Annisquam, Massachusetts.

She was predeceased by her sister, Louise Stone and her husband, Dr. William Stone, her brother, William Theriault, and by her niece, Alice Stone Love.

A special thanks to the staff at Woodridge Nursing Home for their care and kindness these past two years.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated from Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Waitsfield on Saturday, December 9th at 11 a.m. Friends may call at the Perkins-Parker Funeral Home in Waterbury on Friday from 7 – 9 p.m. Inurnment will take place this spring in the Waitsfield Common Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Joslin Memorial Library, 4391 Main Street, Waitsfield, VT 05673 or to the Waitsfield Historical Society, PO Box 816, Waitsfield, VT 05673. To send on-line condolences, please visit www.perkinsparker.com.