Ruth J. Vanasse

Ruth J. Vanasse of Wolcott, CT passed away peacefully after a short illness on May 5, 2021. Born Ruth Jessie Farquharson on December 24, 1929 in New Haven, CT, she was the third child of James and Emma (Kolb) Farquharson, sister to James and Carl Farquharson.

Ruth graduated from East Haven High School, Class of 1947 and attended New Haven State Teachers College with aspirations of becoming a Physical Education Teacher. She met her husband, Louis, at a drum corps meet and they married in 1950.

She was the proud mother of four daughters and encouraged them to follow their dreams. She was a staunch supporter of her two physically disabled daughters’ involvement in school acceptance of the disabled, and promoted them in their pursuits of college degrees.

Ruth was a talented artist, crafter, seamstress and musician. At the age of 14, she was a talented trumpeter with Bradford Manor Drum Corps. She sang with the Sweet Adelines- Nutmeg Chapter, The Connecticut Chorale, (of which she crafted several set designs for shows), and together with Lou on piano, performed with The Happy Timers, a senior musical group that performed at senior living facilities and nursing homes throughout the area.

Her superb artistic talent was validated not only in her crafts, but by acceptance into the Pomperaug Woods Juried Art Show in Southbury, CT, where her depiction of Coretta Scott King was proudly displayed and admired.

Ruth was a lover of words, and was a formidable Scrabble player. She wrote stories and poems for her grandchildren and was very proud of the publication of one of her poems in a senior competition.

She loved and was extremely proud of her 7 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, teaching them swimming and camping skills as well as encouraging their creative talents. Some of her favorite past-times were going to Grove Beach on Hitchcock Lake and Hammonasset State Park.

Ruth is survived by her husband of over 70 years, Louis J. Vanasse, and her beloved daughters and their husbands, Ann and John Osborn of Millsboro, DE and Michele and Thomas Grande of Redding, CT.

Remembering her fondly are grandchildren Joshua (Autumn) Vanasse, Michelle Osborn (Doug Green), Dana (Michael) Bruscini, Alarie Osborn (Joseph Patrick), Christopher (Blanca) Grande, Marissa (Richard) Bousquet and Jonathan (Lindsay) Grande. She is also survived by great-grandchildren Shelby, Nate, Silas, Cole, Fiona, Milo, Mathew, Blaise, Ricky, Rosalie, Reagan, Henry, Lina and Thomas. She was predeceased in death by daughters Susan and Joan Vanasse and grandson John Osborn, Jr.

Donations in Ruth’s memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 1001 or to Friedreich’s Ataxia at FARA, 533 W. Uwchlan Ave, Downingtown, PA 19335.

Visitation will be on Saturday, May 15, 2021 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at Woodtick Memorial Funeral Home, 420 Woodtick Road, Wolcott, CT.

Due to COVID, masks and social distancing will be required.