Ruth A. (Stockbridge) Baker

Mrs. Ruth A. (Stockbridge) Baker, of Otisfield, Maine, formerly of Melrose, MA, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, November 11, 2013, at age 75. Ruth was born on October 2, 1938 in Everett, one of two children of the late Howard W. Stockbridge, and Sadie (Hall) Stockbridge. She was raised in Reading and graduated from Reading High School, Class of 1956. After graduating from Reading High, she started her banking career as a teller/bookkeeper at Metropolitan Federal Savings and Loan in Boston. She worked there for three years while attending banking school and in 1959 became the head bookkeeper at Merchants Co-operative Bank in Boston. After three more years, she left banking to raise a family of what would become three children. Her first child, Scott was born in 1962, followed by Brenda in 1963, and Douglas in 1964. While devoted to raising her children, Ruth also became active with the Horace Mann School as a lunch mother, was a member of the Rotary Ann's in the 1970's and served as President, 1975-1976. In 1975, Ruth started 23 years of serving as a "Friendly Visitor" for the Melrose Council on Aging, visiting a patient in a nursing home for 1 hour a week. Later in life, Ruth worked from home for the Journal of Nursing Administration by filling subscriptions and orders of nursing books. Four days after the publisher moved out of state, she re-entered banking as a bookkeeper for the Melrose Co-operative Bank. She worked for the Co-op rising from bookkeeper, to customer service, to Assistant Treasurer until her retirement in 2000. After many enjoyable visits to Maine, she and her husband Bruce retired to Otisfield where she became active with the local church. Ruth was a member the Ladies Guild and served as Treasurer. Ruth was the beloved wife of Bruce W. Baker with whom she shared 53 years of marriage. Devoted mother of Scott W. Baker and his wife Melissa of Saugus, Brenda Durgin and her husband Daniel of Windham, NH, and Douglas W. Baker of Portland, ME. Dear sister of Lyle M. Stockbridge of Wilmington. Cherished grandmother of Ryan, Sarah, Kimberly, Kevin and his wife Megan, and Katie. Relatives and friends will gather in honor and remembrance of Ruth's life at All Souls Chapel at Poland Spring, 37 Preservation Way, Poland, ME on Friday, June 13, 2014 at 12:00pm. Gifts in Ruth's memory may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 230 East Ohio St., Suite 304, Chicago, IL 60611.