Ruth Roberts: Former Brewster Resident

There will be a memorial service for Ruth Boorn Roberts on Sunday, June 16th at 3 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Brewster, NY. Also, on Monday, June 17th at 4 p.m. there will be a graveside service at the Schenevus Cemetery on Main Street in Schenevus, NY.

Ruth Lovell Boorn was born in 1914 to Leland and Margaret Boorn in Alderson, PA. Ruth graduated from Schenevus (NY) High School in 1931 and attended Syracuse University, graduating in 1935 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She lived in Afton and Hornell, NY and taught Home Economics until 1941, when she married Lyle Roberts of Westford, NY. 

Ruth and Lyle lived in Westford, Schenevus, Unadilla, Sherburne, Earlville, Avoca, Fredonia, and finally Brewster, NY, where Lyle was elementary principal and Ruth taught at Pawling High School. Ruth retired from teaching in 1977; however she continued her education at Danbury State College.

After retirement she was active in Brewster in the Southeast Museum, Landmarks Preservation, the Putnam County Hospital Auxiliary (and Eagle Eye shop), the Cecilian Society and the Brewster First United Methodist Church. She spent many summers traveling with Lyle and family and friends, including going to Europe and Alaska. Ruth and Lyle made many cross-country trips to California to visit their children and grandchildren. 

Lyle died in 1991 and Ruth lived in Brewster until 1997 when she moved to Pawling, NY with her son David and his wife, Joan and their son, Colin. She continued her visits to the west coast until she moved to California and lived with and was cared for by her daughter, Carole in Sacramento. 

Ruth is survived by daughters Carole Roberts Petracek and Donna Roberts Axton, sons Bill and David Roberts, granddaughters Meggie Inouye, Rebecca Roberts, Claire Roberts and April Axton Ruggiero, grandsons Duncan Roberts, Matthew Axton, Kevin Petracek, Colin Roberts, Mark Axton and Michael Axton, great-grandsons Granite Inouye and Anthony Ruggiero, and daughters-in-law Joan Roberts and Helen Coughlin Roberts.

Ruth was pre-deceased by her husband, Lyle Louis Roberts, her sister Katherine Boorn Havens, and her brother George Leland Boorn.