|
OLDS, RUTH (HUGHES) Born in Cambridge, MA, on March 8, 1923, Ruth passed away in Albuquerque, NM, on Nov. 23, 2012. Ruth was the eldest of five children of Mary Cooney Hughes and Roy G. Hughes, all of whom predeceased her. In 1948 she married Walter Olds, an organic chemist at Arthur D. Little Co., where he earned a number of patents for his inventions. Walter predeceased Ruth in 2003. Growing up in Cambridge, Ruth studied classical singing and was a member of the Boston Handel and Haydn Society Chorus. Throughout her life, Ruth volunteered her musical gifts for church choirs and school fundraisers. She was a member of the New Mexico "Young at Heart Gospel Choir" and the choir at the La Vida Llena Retirement Community. In addition to raising a family, Ruth worked in the Boston banking industry. After hitting the "glass ceiling" at work, Ruth sought redress, working with federal agencies and labor organizers, and later was interviewed by Jane Fonda when she was researching her role for the movie 9 to 5. After retirement, Ruth achieved her dream of traveling the world. One of her most memorable trips was to Great Britain and France, where she and Walter served as official representatives of the United States of America for the 1983 bicentennial celebration of the Treaty of Paris. During this trip, she and Walter marched in parades and attended official celebrations, dressed in period costumes of the Concord Minutemen, a local militia which fought in the American Revolution. Known for her independence and determination, Ruth also was compassionate and generous to friends as well as strangers in need. Always one to actively work for causes she believed in, Ruth most recently worked on the La Vida Llena (LVL) Treasurer's Sale to benefit the LVL Foundation. Friends and family will sorely miss her keen intellect and joie de vie. Ruth is survived by her daughter Kathryn Olds of San Mateo, CA; daughter Susan Olds, son-in-law John Picariello and her grandson Benjamin Olds Picariello of New York City; and sister-in-law Claire Olds of Saratoga Springs, NY. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America.
|
