Obituary: Ruth Elaine Haller Hewston, 77, Of Wallingford

WALLINGFORD, CT — (From Wallingford Funeral Home): Ruth Elaine Haller Hewston passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Tuesday, February 6, 2024. A lifelong resident of Yalesville, Ruth was born on January 30, 1947 to the late Robert Russell Haller and the late Dorothy Marian Walker. In 1971 she married her lifelong love, Melvin Hewston.

She graduated from Lyman Hall High School and completed her degrees in Physical Education Teaching and Adaptive PE at Southern Connecticut State University.

Ruth taught in the Bristol Public Schools at Bristol Eastern, Bristol Central and the middle schools for 37 years, where she made lifelong friends with both the staff and students. She was a volleyball coach at Bristol Eastern for 8 years before becoming an official for the next 41 years for both girls and boys high school volleyball and a scheduler for boys for 36 years.

Ruth, along with her close friends, played an instrumental role in bringing boys volleyball into Connecticut high schools and later as an official CIAC sport. During her time as an official she also volunteered her time to Unified Sports and Special Olympics and was chosen as an official for the World Special Olympics games in 1995.

Ruth was a member of the Yalesville United Methodist Church and served in the choir and on the board. She was an active member of the Wallingford Grange for more than 50 years serving in many capacities including the fair committee and was voted State Fair Queen in 1971.

A certified master seamstress, Ruth prided herself in her work, creating clothes and other items for her children and friends. She was a lifelong Girl Scout, attending national and international roundups across the country and later as a leader for her daughter's troops.

She was an active member of the Yalesville VFW Auxiliary, serving as State President in 2013-14 and National Historian 2014-15, 2016-2017. Ruth was also a member of the First Falls Fife and Drum Corps, Cheshire Cats square dance group, Klondike Group, an assistant coach for her kids’ sports, and worked at the Wallingford Parks and Recreation and also at Kohls.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Melvin; her children, Matthew (Doreen) Hewston and Samantha Hewston; her granddaughter, Bianca; and her sisters, Janet Haller and Susan (Roger) Height.

Her family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main St. Ext. on Friday, Feb. 16 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Her funeral service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 9:30 a.m., directly at the Yalesville United Methodist Church, 8 New Pl. St. in the Yalesville section of Wallingford. Burial in Walnut Grove Cemetery will immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth's memory may be made to UCONN Cancer Care Foundation by visiting https://www.foundation.uconn.edu/giving-details.

For more information and to leave online condolences, visit Wallingford Funeral Home here.