Ruth B. Smith, 92, of Londonderry, NH, died Sunday, November 30, 2008 in the Pleasant Valley Nursing Center, Derry, NH. Mrs. Smith was born at home on Palm Sunday in Twin Mountain, NH on April 16, 1916, a daughter of the late Leonard and Jane (Marchbanks) Burroughs. She graduated from Twin Mountain High School, where she played center on the basketball team. Mrs. Smith then attended Bryant and Stratton College in Boston and Columbia University in New York City. She had lived in Spokane, WA and Avon Park, FL where her husband was stationed with the Army Air Corps, but was a Londonderry resident for the past 73 years. Mrs. Smith was an avid 10-pin bowler, at times bowling in 7 leagues per week. She attended and competed in the WBC National Tournament for many years and had an over 200 average. She was environmentally conscious and was interested in genealogy and town histories. Mrs. Smith was a member of the Naborly Club in Londonderry, a 50 plus year member of the Ransford Chapter Eastern Star, a member of the Merrimack Street Baptist Church in Manchester, NH, the Londonderry Senior Citizens and was an RSVP Volunteer while in her 80’s. She was a very strong willed and independent woman. She was offered the Londonderry Boston Post Cane in 2007, but declined the offer.
She is survived by a daughter, Jane Vickery of Pembroke, NH, a son, Robert Smith of Londonderry, six grandchildren, Ryan, April, Ami and Zachary Smith, Lindsey and Kevin Vickery, two nephews and also by many cousins. She was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Ernest W. Smith in 1998.
An Eastern Star Ritual will be held at 1:00pm at Ruth's home on Sunday, December 7, 2008 with a celebration of her life to follow until 4pm. The burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery, Londonderry at the family’s convenience. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Twin Mountain-Bretton Woods Historical Society, P.O. Box 464, Twin Mt., NH 03595.