Ruth Sweedler

Ruth “Ruthy” (Rosen) Sweedler, 105, of South Windsor, formerly of West Hartford, died Sunday, January 5, 2025.  She was born in New Haven, CT on December 29, 1919 the last of nine children born to Louis and Eva (Rumanoff) Rosen.  Her late husband Nathan and their two daughters, Wendy and Heidi predeceased her.

She is survived by her granddaughter, Nicole Ammeraal Graham (Michael)and her children: Chloe and Caleb along with several loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.  She was predeceased by siblings: Anna (Morris) Brodner, Yetta (Herman) Miller, Joseph (Martha) Rosen, Rose Rosen, Murray (Rose) Rosen, Gertrude (Carl) Allison, Ida (Sam) Lissaur and Shirley (Julius) Hodes.

Ruthy was so bright and pretty.  She was the apple of the eyes of her brothers and sisters and had a special place in the hearts of her parents.  Her husband Nate adored her and she was loved by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, besides her numerous nephews and nieces and their children.  In particular, she was the eternal rock for Nathan, Wendy, Heidi and Nicole.

She was so generous with her time and effort for these family members, not to mention for her many friends over the years. She was always there to support their events.  At the Village at Buckland Court in South Windsor where she spent the last years of her life, she took an interest in everyone who was there to support her.  That included nurses, aides, dining and maintenance staff.  These wonderful folks adored her and she loved them.  She also owed so much to her companions and CNAs, Beverly Eustan and Gwendoline Ashley, provided by Friends for Friends.

Ruthy was a patron of the theatre and was always interested in reading and literature.  At the Village, it gave her great pleasure to study with the late retired Trinity Professor John Williams.  By the same token, on Fridays, she loved the word game led by the Village staff and who depended on Ruth to select the longest word from her reading the Sunday New York Times.  She was going to be a grammar school teacher, but when her role model and sister, Gertie, had difficulty getting a teaching position after graduating from Teachers College, she decided to study nursing at the College of Nursing at Grace New Haven Hospital.  However, since she graduated from high school at the age of 17 and the local college required a minimum age of 18, that was out of the question.  When she did reach 18 and wanted to pursue nursing studies at Mount Sinai School of Nursing in New York City, she did not meet its minimum height requirements.

Consequently, she decided to go to business school.  It turned out that she was of immeasurable help in Nate’s very successful auctioneering business.  In her later life, she would help elderly people with their finances to include paying their bills and balancing their checkbooks.  When Nate became ill, she knew how to manage their financial affairs as a meticulous and conservative steward.  With her business school background and her keeping up with the financial news of the day, she was an educated investor.  With her bent for educating youngsters, to include her own, she worked with underprivileged children in the Hartford School System to offer one-on-one tutoring to those falling behind.

Ruthy was devoted to numerous charitable causes.  She was an ardent Zionist starting in her early teenage years given the influence of her father Louis.  She was an active member of Young Judaea, a subgroup of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, New York, NY.  Ultimately, she assumed numerous responsible positions in Hadassah at the regional and local level to include the presidency of the Hartford, CT Chapter.  Hadassah Hospital in Israel gives treatment to those in need: Christians, Jews and Moslems.

As a young married woman, Ruthy served as President of Tarbut Pioneer Women, the Labor Zionist Organization of America.  This very special organization gave her an opportunity to perform and tour with its drama group.  With poetry and music, the participants educated and entertained audiences with the illustrious history of Palestine and then the State of Israel.

Her beauty, smile and keen intellect made her magnetic.  She was a marvelous hostess in her warm and charming home.  This was in addition to the many cookouts she and Nate sponsored in their homes in New Haven and in West Hartford for their ever expanding family given all the nephews and nieces, in particular.  Ruthy was a perfectionist.  She had a great deal of pride and confidence in herself.  This had an impact on her nephews and nieces who tried to emulate her.

No one could have taken better care of Nate when he was ill for a number of years prior to his death.  Thus, he was allowed to spend his last years in the comfort of his home with his beautiful wife and family around him.  She never complained that her life was being turned upside down owing to Nate’s failing health.

Ruthy was a fantastic aunt to her generations of nieces and nephews and indispensable to her granddaughter and great grandchildren.  Ruth will be sorely missed by her family, friends and all of her new “family members and friends” at the Village at Buckland Court in South Windsor, CT.  Ruth’s family and close friends are thankful to the angels of mercy there-the nurses and CNAs.

Funeral services will be private.  In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Ruth’s memory to: Beth El Temple, Ruth Sweedler Family Endowment Fund, 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117.  Please visit: www.weinsteinmortuary.com to leave an online condolence.  At the above synagogue, a Sabbath service at 5:45 Friday evening, January 10, led by Rabbi James Rosen, will recognize the passing of Ruth Sweedler.