Ruth Elinor Hamilton, 89, of Derry, NH passed away Sunday April 25, 2010 at her home. Ruth was born June 6, 1920 in Somerville, MA to the late Raymond W. and Florence C. (Hanson) Spear and was raised and schooled in Reading. She later graduated from Bryant and Stratton College in Boston in 1940 and worked for Little Brown and Company Publishing House. She and her late husband of 55 years, Arthur G. Hamilton Sr. lived in Maine 40 years before moving to the Hampstead/Derry area, where they resided for over 20 years. Ruth will long be remembered as a loving, warm, caring and witty mother. The best mother whose concerns were always for others. She was a previous member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Old Orchard Beach, ME, the Lioness Club in Sanford, ME and Shirley‘s Friends in Derry. Mrs. Hamilton’s passions included cats, dogs and pansies. An avid reader, she enjoyed the challenges of a good crossword puzzle.
Mrs. Hamilton leaves her beloved children, her daughter Janice Hamilton, with whom she lived for the past 21 years, Susan Bogart of Utah, Arthur Hamilton Jr. of ME, Priscilla Pond, of ME and David Hamilton of ME. She also leaves 13 grandchildren, 33 great grandchildren and a great great granddaughter. She was predeceased by a brother Charles and a sister Olive.
The family received friends Saturday May 1, 2010 at 1p.m. in the Peabody Funeral Home and Crematorium, 15 Birch St. Derry. The funeral service followed at 2p.m. A private burial will be held Monday at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Arlington, MA. Donations in memory of Ruth may be directed to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.