Susan Henretty Ruddick

1938 - 2021

Susan Henretty Ruddick

Westwood, MA - Ruddick, Susan Henretty of Westwood, MA and Nantucket, MA and formerly of Cedar Grove, NJ, and Palm Beach Gardens, FL died peacefully on January 24, 2021, following a brief battle with COVID. She was 82 years old.

Susan was born on May 2, 1938 in Akron, Ohio to the late Robert Howard Henretty and Edna Rudolph Henretty and graduated from The Old Trail School in 1956. She attended Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA where she graduated in 1960 as a Durant Scholar with a BA in Zoology and Physiology and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi, the international honor society for science and engineering.

After Wellesley, Susan worked in cancer research at Sloan Kettering and then at Hoffman La Roche.

Susan met her husband of nearly 50 years, J. Perry Ruddick, in Boston in 1959. They were married on July 29, 1961, moved to Upper Montclair, New Jersey after their honeymoon and raised their three children in Verona and Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

After leaving her career as a research scientist, Susan devoted her time to her family and philanthropy. She was a longtime member and President of the Junior League of Montclair/Newark and President of the Board of Trustees of Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Susan was also very involved in conservation activities on her beloved island of Nantucket. She served as a Board member, President and Chairman of The 'Sconset Trust, and she and her husband led the Sankaty Head Lighthouse Campaign, raising over $4 million to support the move of the lighthouse off the bluff and to a new spot where future generations can enjoy it for decades more to come.

Susan is survived by her devoted children, Julie Meade of Bronxville, NY, Pam Holding (and husband William B. Holding, Jr.) of Wellesley, MA and Girard Ruddick (and wife Gay Engstrom Ruddick) of Belmont, MA; her seven grandchildren, Perry and Tommy Meade, Will, Chase and Abby Holding, and JP and Read Ruddick; as well as many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, J. Perry Ruddick, and her brother, Robert Howard Henretty, Jr.

Due to COVID, services will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made The 'Sconset Trust (P.O. Box 821, Siasconset, MA 02564). Funeral arrangements by George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, Wellesley, MA. For online guestbook, gfdoherty.com