Ruth Webster, 94, died peacefully Dec. 3, 2023, in her home in Mystic. Born Nov. 12, 1929, in New London, the daughter of Harold and Marion (Allen) Gremley, she was a life-long Mystic resident.
For the first nine years of her life, Ruth lived with her family on a farm on River Road, where many years later Route 95 would be built. Ruth graduated from Fitch Senior High School in 1947. While at Fitch, Ruth played softball and saxophone and served as drum major for the school band. Ruth also conducted the band for a concert when they traveled to Canada. After attending Fitch, Ruth graduated from New London Junior College (now Mitchell College) with a degree in secretarial skills.
Ruth met her husband of 70 years, Bill Webster, on a blind date in 1951. They lived briefly in Oak Ridge, Tenn., where Ruth was a secretary supporting over 70 people. In the late 1970s, Ruth worked as a librarian at St. Bernard High School in Uncasville. Early in their marriage Bill and his brother John built the house that Ruth and Bill would live in for the next 68 years. Ruth was a lifelong member of Mystic Congregational Church, singing in the choir and active in the Women’s Fellowship. Ruth and Bill were avid tennis players for many years.
Ruth was predeceased by her husband; her parents; and her sister Kathryn. She is survived by sons, Steven Webster and his wife Barbara Yerrick, of Underhill, Vt., and James Webster and his wife Julie, of Bellingham, Wash.; daughters, Ann Webster and her husband Christopher Cryder, of Mystic, and Jane Webster Barnes and her husband Jay, of Boxborough, Mass.; seven grandchildren: Noah Ventola, Cara Cue, Nate Backus, Emily Webster, Jack Barnes, Abigail Webster and Teddy Barnes; and four great-grandchildren.
A service of remembrance will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, at the Mystic Congregational Church, 43 East Main Street, Mystic. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth’s memory may be made to Mystic Congregational Church, or Threshold Choir, PO Box 8496, Santa Rosa, CA 95407.