Ruth Grappone

1919 - 2020

Ruth Mae Batchelder was born at the end of the First World War in April, 1919 in Franklin, New Hampshire. Her parents, Lillian and Ernest Batchelder, raised Ruth, her brother Ernest "Fred" (d. 2020), and her sisters Hazel (d. 1978) and Dorothy in the Center Harbor area.

Both of her parents died relatively young, leaving Ruth to make her way in the world. At the age of nearly 100 Ruth still fondly recalled stories from her childhood, including the hen she called Lady Locket who sat on her lap, her favorite dog, a collie named Betty who used to pull her on a sled from Center Harbor to Meredith (they had help getting home), and the times she sat on the porch at their house up on the knoll and watched the lightning hit Lake Winnipesaukee.

At the age of 16 Ruth was the only girl in her high school class to summit Mount Washington on a school trip, a story she proudly retold many times. She was a member of Center Harbor High School's class of 1936. After the death of her parents she moved to Concord and worked for her room and board, for a family who introduced her to John Grappone.

In 1940 John would become her husband of 71 years. Ruth and John raised three children, Allen, Joann (d. 1983), and Robert in Concord, where she lived until she passed away. Ruth's second family was the team at Grappone Automotive. "Mrs. G" spent many years at Grappone Ford greeting guests and chatting about the good old days. Her nametag let people know that she'd been a team member since 1940. After John's passing she kept a photo of him on her table in the Ford showroom and let people know with her memorable laugh, "this is my boyfriend." Not to be confused with her other boyfriend, Tom Brady. Ruth always had a smile and a laugh for her coworkers and she could be full of surprises.

As her 90th birthday party was being planned she was asked what her favorite kind of music was. "Jazz and Janis Joplin" was the answer. She wasn't kidding. When recalling the many things she loved over the years, Ruth made sure to mention her favorite car - the white Ford Taurus.

After getting a wheelchair when she moved into Harris Hill Center she said, "Did you see my new car? When I get better I'll drive it down the street instead of my Taurus."

Ruth was living at Harris Hill when she tested positive for COVID-19 on Christmas Eve. She passed away on December 31 with her nursing team by her side.

Ruth is survived by her sons, Allen Grappone (m. Bridget Grappone), Robert Grappone (m. Beverly Grappone), her grandchildren Gretchen Grappone, Gina Grappone (m. Derek Wang), Amanda Osmer (m. Tom Osmer), Allison Grappone (m. Christophe Matson), her step-grandchildren Glen Laramie and John Laramie, her great-grandchildren (Mary Osmer, Henry Osmer, Abigail Osmer and Briar Grappone), and longtime friend and companion Gloria Monahan.

She was predeceased by her husband John Grappone, her daughter Joann Grappone, her brother Fred Batchelder, her sister Hazel Batchelder, and her grandson Gregory Grappone.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gregory J. Grappone Children's Health Endowment at Concord Hospital, 250 Pleasant Street, Concord NH 03301, online at ch-trust.org or the Greg Grappone School of Humanities Saint Anselm's College, 100 Saint Anselm Way, Manchester, NH 03102, online at anselm.edu/gregory-j-grappone-humanities-institute