Ruth Reeves

Ruth Zimmerman Reeves passed away peacefully on her 90th birthday, January 4, 2026, at Carleton-Willard Village in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Ruth was born on January 4, 1936, in Fullerton, Pennsylvania, to the late Minnie (Demko) and Alfred Zimmerman. She enjoyed a happy childhood with her sisters, Shirley and Joan, in Clarks Green, before the family moved to Manchester, New Hampshire during her teenage years.

A lifelong lover of learning, teaching and reading, Ruth earned her undergraduate degree from Bates College and went on to receive master’s degrees from Radcliffe–Harvard College and Illinois State University. She began her career teaching English and Drama at Belmont High School. After three years, she was recruited by the U.S. Department of Defense to teach overseas—an opportunity that shaped the course of her life.

Her first assignment was in Wiesbaden, Germany, where she met her husband, Paul Reeves. Together they lived in Germany, England, France, and Italy, teaching, traveling extensively, and raising their two children. Ruth’s students remembered her as a gifted educator who brought literature and performance to life for them. She believed deeply in her students and encouraged their curiosity. 

In 1978 the family moved to Illinois, where Ruth began working at the Normal Public Library, as well as teaching adult education. Over the next 34 years, she rose to become Library Director of Adult Services, leaving a lasting legacy as a mentor, colleague, and friend.

After retiring, Ruth spent two years in California living with her son, Gevan, and her granddaughters—an experience that brought her enormous joy. In 2019, she moved to Carleton-Willard Village in Bedford to be near her daughter, Tricia, and her sisters Shirley and Joan. There, Ruth quickly became an active member of the community, volunteering in the residents’ library, leading a monthly book discussion group, and visiting residents with Tricia and her therapy dog Fenway.

She loved reading, traveling and being with family and came to love and appreciate all types of music through her friends and the staff at Carleton-Willard Village. She was fortunate to meet her dear friend Lu Fernandez there and enjoyed several years with him before he passed away in 2023.

Above all, Ruth will be remembered for her positive outlook on life and how generously she gave of herself. Her grandchildren were the light of her life, and she delighted in each of them—celebrating their individuality, cheering them on, and loving them unconditionally. She lived with a gentle spirit and a belief in the goodness of people. Her words to those she loved best say it all:
“Like you always, love you forever.”

Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Paul Reeves, and her sisters, Shirley French and Joan Richer. She is survived by her daughter Tricia and her favorite son-in-law, Scott Anderson, of Bedford, Massachusetts; her son Gevan Reeves of Pleasanton, California; and her four loving grandchildren, Ryan, Annie, Summer, and Lauren. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, all of whom she held very close in her heart.

A Memorial Service to celebrate her life will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, February 20, at Carleton-Willard Village, 100 Old Billerica Rd., Bedford.

As a retired librarian and prolific reader, the Bedford Public Library was a source of great pleasure to her.  Donations in her honor can be made to: 

                                 The Friends of the Bedford Public Library
                                 7 Mudge Way
                                 Bedford, MA 01730

or online at https://friendsofthebedfordlibrary.wildapricot.org/Donate