Ruth R. Hutchison

Born to Eva (nee Liebhauser) and Edward Ruhno on November 23, 1918, Ruth started life at a disadvantage given her father had already predeceased her, dying from complications of the flu epidemic after World War I. Although Ruth’s early life was hard and segued into the Great Depression, Ruth always felt that her life was blessed with happiness and love. She was surrounded by a loving extended family in Irvington, NJ, and worked for Prudential Insurance after graduating from Irvington High School. She met the love of her life, George J. Hutchison, when they were maid-of-honor and best man at a wedding after World War II. During their 62 years of marriage, they lived in Newark, Springfield, and Maplewood, NJ and brought up two loving daughters, Grace and Ruth. Ruth lived in Charlotte, NC the last year of her life to be near her daughter.

Ruth worked part-time for about 20 years at Kemper Insurance Company in Summit, NJ but most of her adult life was dedicated to taking care of family and friends and supporting her church, Emanuel United Church of Christ, Irvington, NJ. Whether singing in the choir, teaching Sunday school, carrying out financial secretary and secretarial duties, working in the food pantry, or attending programs with Church Women United, Ruth was always there. Known for her baking – killer biscuits and apple cake – and preparing meals for 100+ at church dinners, Ruth was also known for acumen with a needle. She made paraments for the church altar, clothes for her girls and herself, decorative pieces for the annual Christmas bazaar and on request items for family and friends. Her expertise included counter cross-stitch, crewel, trapunto, and needlepoint. Ruth was also a self-taught bible scholar and an avid reader. A once in a lifetime trip to England and Scotland was a dream come true so she could walk in the steps of her favorite authors and playwrights’.

But we will probably first and foremost remember her for her wit. Her skits for the church annual Fastnacht show were epic. In the last years of her life, she even made a mark on various medical and care-giver personnel with whom she would joke while insisting “I’m ok”. This was not exactly the behavior they expected from someone over 100!!

How blessed we were to have her in our presence.

Ruth was predeceased by her beloved husband, George, and beloved daughter, Grace H Sawyer, brother, Henry, who died in his early 20s from complications from polio, and her sister, Eva Ruhno Geisler Wilcox.

She leaves behind her daughter, Ruth E. Ford and husband Donald Mawhinney, and her grandson, George Sawyer, as well as a small extended family and many friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made in her memory to either Amayzinggrayz Spay/Neuter program at SCARS, P O Box 435, Williamsburg, NM 87942 (www.sierracountyanimalrescuesociety.com), a program created in honor of her daughter, Grace, or to the Alzheimer's Association, also in memory of Grace.

A burial for Ruth will be held Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Hollywood Memorial Park, 1500 Stuyvesant Ave, Union, New Jersey 07083.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.McCrackenFuneralHome.com for the Hutchison family.