Obituary of Ruth S. Dunbar

North Creek: Ruth S. Dunbar, 86, of Whitewater Manor, passed away Tuesday, July 19, 2016, at Albany Medical Center, surrounded by her loving family, after suffering several strokes in recent months. Born March 12, 1930 in Watertown, she was one of 14 children of the late Harold and Marguerite (Brown) Rivers. Ruth was raised by her grandparents in Utica. In her teens, she was in the cadet corps and won several competitions for sharp shooting. She worked as an Aide at the Masonic Hospital in Utica and later at Adirondack Tri-County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, retiring as unit clerk. Besides spending time with her family and friends, Ruth had a love for reading and writing stories about her life, traveling to see new places, teaching arts and crafts for many years at VBS and Whitewater Manor, researching genealogy, and sharing new information, and animals, especially her cat, Bella. Ruth was a special woman with a kind, loving heart, who was always thinking about others, helping whenever she could; she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. At the age of 66 she attended college, earning her Associate's Degree. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband William John Dunbar, who passed away in 1986, and her oldest child, David, in 2003, and several siblings as well. Ruth is survived by her sons, Tom (Sara) of Minerva, Ian (Deadra) of Champlain, Clyde (Rebecca) of Minerva; a daughter, Isabel of North Creek; siblings, Bessie Bennett of Watertown, Vernice Duford of Clayton, Anne Patterson of Corinth, Terry Burns and Francis Perkins Bennett of Fort Pierce, FL, and James Rivers of Dexter. She is also survived by several grandchildren, great grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 2 pm, August 20, 2016 at Grace Bible Fellowship in Olmstedville. Ruth’s family would like to thank the wonderful medical staff of the Albany Medical Center ICU for the loving care they provided. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations in Ruth's memory to the Order of the Eastern Star, Queen Village Chapter #825. Please visit www.alexanderfh.net for online guestbook and condolences.