Ruth E. Powers

Ruth Ellen Powers of Mont Vernon, NH died Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at the Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Born February 7th, 1925 in Westfield, MA, her family moved to Mont Vernon in 1927, her home for the rest of her life. A 1943 graduate of the Amherst, NH High School, she went on to earn an English degree from UNH, Class of 1947, and continued to augment her life-long learning with myriad classes and workshops. Following her graduation she taught for two years in California and Delaware, before beginning her long career as teacher and reading specialist at the Maple Avenue School in Goffstown. She retired in 1985. Ruth combined a love of nature and the outdoors with a love of language, especially poetry and classic children�s literature. She also loved puns and word play, and friends and family treasured her carefully crafted letters, written in her beautiful and distinctive handwriting. She contributed generously of her time and talents to her church, The First Church of Christ Scientist in Milford, her beloved town of Mont Vernon, the Amherst and Mont Vernon Historical societies, as well as to many individuals in need. She took an active interest in her many nieces and nephews, but was known and loved as �Aunt Ruth� to many friends and neighborhood children as well. Her gentle, generous spirit will live on in the many lives she so positively influenced. Ruth was predeceased by her brother, William Powers, her nephew David Powers, III and her sister-in-law, Edythe Powers. She is survived by her brother, David Powers of Freedom, PA; many loving nieces, nephews and their children and grandchildren, her sister-in-law, Barbara Powers of Kensington, NH and many friends and neighbors. There will be no funeral. A memorial gathering will be held in February. Her family is so thankful to her friends, neighbors, CS Visiting Nurses, and the staff of the Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association for their love and assistance in her last months. Ruth loved the birds, and was a long time supporter of the Audubon Society. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the NH Audubon Society of NH, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301.