Ruth Helene Meier, 87, of Great Barrington died peacefully Oct. 12, 2020, at Kimball Farms Nursing Home in Lenox after a brief illness.
She was born Nov. 17, 1932, at Westchester Square Hospital, Bronx, New York City, New York, to Francis E. Knaack and Ruth A. Wegman. Ruth married Robert A. Meier Oct. 19, 1958. Together they raised their three children — Bill, Bob and Amy — on Long Island in Malverne, New York. Ruth was much loved by her children’s neighborhood friends, in particular by a special group of then-young men who remain friends to this day and are referred to as the “Nassau Boulevard Boys,” all of whom greatly enjoyed a visit with Ruth in the summer of 2019 in Great Barrington.
Ruth was proud of her training and subsequent employment as a registered nurse, considering it a calling. She served as a school nurse, later as an occupational nurse with the Bulova Watch company, and then finally as a blood drive manager for the New York Blood Center.
After living in Malverne for 40 years, she spent 20 years living in Clinton, New York, where she helped to care for her son Bob’s children — Katy, AJ and Ava. During that time, she spent many happy years as a volunteer with the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener Program and the Clinton Garden Club, where she was known for her work on the decorative barrels that adorned the town, and enjoyed close friendships with her fellow gardeners in the program.
Ruth continued to garden when she moved to Great Barrington in July 2018 to share a home with her son Bill and his wife, Maureen, right up until the time of her recent illness. Ruth especially enjoyed this past summer’s addition of chickens to the yard, mimicking the sounds they made and collecting their eggs daily, much as she had done with her own family’s flock when she was a child.
Ruth leaves behind a large and loving family, including son William Meier and wife Maureen of Great Barrington; son Robert Meier and wife Amy Jo of Clinton, New York; daughter Amy Noonan and husband Kevin of Garden City, New York; and grandchildren Lizzie, Matt, Katy, AJ, Ryan and Ava. Ruth’s brother John and sister Marylyn both predeceased her but left behind beloved nieces and nephews who remained close to their “Aunt Ruthie” throughout her life.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, the family has chosen to forego calling hours. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, Oct. 17, at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Church in Great Barrington, conducted by Rev. William P. Murphy. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions will allow the family to create a permanent tribute to Ruth in the Parker F. Scripture Gardens, a beautiful botanical garden and nature trail in Oneida County that she enjoyed and appreciated during her years in Clinton, New York. Checks should be made payable to CCEOC with “Parker F. Scripture Garden” written in the memo lines. Condolences and memorial contributions can be mailed to: Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Reflections may be sent to the family via www.finnertyandstevens.com.
