Ruth Ellen Dushame

Our mother, Ruth Ellen Dushame was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on January 29, 1925 to George and Mabel Heartel. She graduated from Wauwatosa High School and earned a BA from Valparaiso University with graduate work at the University of Wisconsin and Nazareth College. Following college she worked for Encyclopedia Britannica in Chicago as a researcher and later for United Airlines, Eastern Airlines and American Airlines. It was on a ""freebie"" trip to Bermuda where she met her husband-to-be Ralph who was on shore leave from a Navy reserve cruise anchored overnight in Hamilton. Before parting Bermuda they arranged to meet in New York, and two months later, in August, 1950, were married. Ralph and Ruth Ellen enjoyed 63 wonderful years of marriage together. Mom was a loving, positive, curious, adventurous, wife, mother and grandmother. Mother to Stephen, Lisa, Laura and David, her family was always most important and she inspired, supported, and engaged each of her children throughout their lives. There are many wonderful memories of family vacations, anniversaries, birthdays and ‘everyday moments' that we are left to remember and cherish. Throughout her life, Mom formed and maintained lifelong friendships. From Wauwatosa and ""Valpo"", to Deerfield, IL, where the Dushame family was raised, to Newark, New York, Sun City, Arizona, New London, New Hampshire, and Venice, Florida, Mom and Dad enjoyed a full, active, meaningful life. Mom was an avid reader, world traveler, volunteer. She engaged in life and took full advantage of the many opportunities offered in their community for lectures, concerts, and social events. Most importantly, Mom was a woman of strong faith, which was her core. It was her faith that guided her through life and all she touched; it was her faith which sustained her through difficult times, and it is her faith which sustains and comforts us now. Ruth Ellen was predeceased by her husband Ralph and son David in 2014. She is survived by her three children Stephen (Virginia) Dushame, of Belmont, MA; Lisa (Allan) Wong of Brookline, MA; and Laura (John)Dunphy, of Greenfield, MA; three grandchildren, Stephen (Heather) Wong, of Sydney Australia, Andrew Wong, of Chicago, Illinois, and Peter Wong of Brookline. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, September 10, 2015 at the Venice Presbyterian Church, Venice FL. Interment in Brookline, Massachusetts to follow.