Ruth Eleanor Gilligan Smith died on October 26, 2025, surrounded by her eight remaining children and many other family members. She was born in Malden, MA, in 1926 to Thomas and Anna Coombs Gilligan. She attended Girls Catholic High School in Malden and was the first person in her family to graduate from college, earning a BA in Practical Arts at Boston University. She loved music, books, laughter, her community, and, most of all, her large family. She was married for 52 years to C. Howard Smith (d. 2001), and they lived in Medford from 1956 on. After raising her large family, she went back to work in her middle 50s, working in the Maternity Ward at the Malden Hospital. She served as a volunteer for many years at St. Francis of Assisi Church and at the Glen Ridge Nursing Care Center in Malden, continuing to drive herself to these jobs through rain, wind, and snow, until Covid shut everything down and forced her home when she was 94 years old.
She had nine children: Paul Smith and Lauren Gill of CA; Philip Smith (d. 2020) and Nan of Weymouth,; Christine Smyth and Alan (d. 2023) of Waterboro, ME; Richard Smith and Marti-Jo of Falmouth, ME; Mark Smith and Lael of Medford, MA; Marie Enright and Stephen of York Beach, ME; Annette Smith and Paul Doyle of York ME, Ellen Stanton and James of Melrose, MA, Andrew Smith and Karen of Medford, MA. Ruth is also survived by 27 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Between her work and her family, she spent her entire 99-year life serving and loving people.
Relatives & friends are invited to attend visiting hours at the Breslin Funeral Home, 610 Pleasant St., Malden on Friday October 31st from 9:00-11:00 AM followed by her Funeral Mass celebrated at St.Francis of Assisi Church, 441 Fellsway West in Medford 11:30 AM. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you consider a donation to Tufts Medicine Care at Home, Development Office, 847 Rogers
St., Suite 201, Lowell, MA 01852 They also recommend that everyone so inclined hug all their family members today as tightly as possible. Time—even an almost complete century—flies.