Obituary of Ruth Aruta

Ruth Aruta, 84 years young, of Hamden, left this life to join her husband and other loved ones early Saturday morning, January 3. She passed peacefully surrounded by her two daughters at O'Connor Hospital in Delhi. The daughter of Wilfrid and Alice Malo Lavallee, Mom was born June 30, 1930 in New York City and, as the child of French Canadian parents, spoke English as a second language in her childhood. Growing up in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, with frequent trips to the Quebec homes and farms of both sets of grandparents, Ruth early on developed a keen sense of business, running her own beauty shop, saving her money to buy her first car with cash, and later attending the Berkeley School of Business in New York City. Graduating in 1951, she was immediately being plucked from the graduating class to work for the CIA in Washington, D.C. More intriguing careers were to follow, including work as a pathologist at New York City's Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. It was there that she met her future husband, Frank Aruta, who worked as an optician at the optical shop at the hospital. The two fiercely competed both with and against each other in numerous ping pong competitions, and married on June 12, 1954 in the Bronx. Settling in Bergen County, New Jersey, the couple later had two daughters, and countless pets to fill their homes. A brief post-retirement period had them living in Dublin Shores, Nova Scotia, Canada, followed by a return to the United States and settling in Kingston, New York. Following their eldest daughter, Ruth and Frank eventually bought land and put up a home in Hamden where Ruth enjoyed gardening and creative landscaping. Following her husband's death in January of 2007, she continued to travel, mostly taking day trips and enjoying lunches and dinners with her daughters, and one memorable return trip to her family sites in Canada a few short years ago. Ruth is survived by her daughters, Gabrielle Pierce of Hamden, Jeannette Grose of Kingston; six grandchildren, Jill Ogden of Delhi, Richie Larsen (Kayla) of East Meredith, Thomas Buel of Hamden, Jeffrey Yazdi (Daveda) of New Port Richey, Florida, Elliot Kubicek and Valerie Ferran; five great-grandchildren, Lorelei Ogden, Kaydence Rose Lehmann, Ayla and Reese Yazdi, and Carmella Brocco. She is also survived by a cousin, John "John G" Lavallee of Anacortes, Washington. She was predeceased by her husband Frank, her grandson, Jeremy Lehmann (2006), and her sister, Marthe Lavallee-Williams of Philadelphia. She is also survived by numerous devoted friends whom she cherished, including her "church family." Friends are invited to call from 4 to 7 Wednesday, January 7 at the Hall & Peet Funeral Home, Delhi, when the family will be in attendance, and a funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary of the Assumption, 37 Fayette St., Binghamton, with Fr. Johannes presiding. Burial will be at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York. Memorial contributions would be appreciated to the Jeremy K. Lehmann Shooting Star Fund, benefitting students graduating from Delaware Academy, Delhi(Delaware National Bank of Delhi); the Heart of the Catskills Humane Society, or the Delhi Fire Department Emergency Squad.