Living through the Great Depression and then the flood of 1936 and the hurricane of 1938 would leave a lasting impression on her life. As an infant, lived on Cabot St. in Hartford. As a young girl Ruth was musically talented. She took organ lessons at Christ’s Church Cathedral in Hartford and played the piano for the glee club at her high school. She was also a student of the dance. Ruth was active in scouting and eventually rose to the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest level for scouting. During her working years, Ruth was employed at the Hartford Steam Boiler, where she was an insurance policy processor, and later, for ten years, as the children’s librarian at the Westbrook (CT) Public Library. Ruth has always been an avid reader, and she too, like her husband, has a green thumb. Ruth was a member of a garden club for many years. Ruth also loved to make afghans and enjoyed tailoring coats, an art she learned from her father. Ruth was a long time, active member of Grace Episcopal Church’s women’s club in Old Saybrook, CT. For many years she corresponded as a pen pal with one Ruth Blackwell who was a girl guide in Great Britain. This friendship would endure for almost a lifetime. Ruth to this day keeps in touch with Ruth Blackwell’s niece.

Ruth Nadine (Oakes) Merrick, 86, of Westbrook passed away peacefully at Glastonbury Health Care Center on Saturday (November 8, 2003). Born April 21, 1917 in Hartford, she was the daughter of William Ellius Oakes and Agnes Crawford Reid both of Hartford. She was a descendant of James and Mary Ann Oakes of England, James Wilkie Reid of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Bessie Pierce of New York. Raised in East Hartford, she attended the public school system. She was active in the Girl Scouts; the proudest achievement in her young life was receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in scouting. Musically talented, she took organ lessons at Christ's Church Cathedral. Upon graduation, she was employed by The Hartford Steam Boiler and later by The Travelers. During that time in Hartford she witnessed events which she relished describing in detail to her children and grandchildren: the great flood of 1936, the hurricane of 1938 and the partial collapse of the Charter Oak Bridge during its construction in the early 1940's and many other stories. In April 1942, she married John Easland Merrick, of Hartford; her loving husband of 61 years who survives her. While raising her family of three children, first in East Hartford and then in Westbrook, she was both a teacher of piano and a children's librarian (Westbrook Public Library) which gave her the opportunity to work with the young people that she loved so much. She was a long time member of the Westbrook Garden Club. She and her husband John (now in Glastonbury) were faithful communicants of Grace Episcopal Church, Old Saybrook, where she was active in the Episcopal Church Women and helped organize many a church fair. She leaves a daughter, Wendy Ruth (Merrick) McVey of Glastonbury, son Wayne Easland Merrick, of South Glastonbury, and son William John Merrick of Northford, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Her children cherish the memory of a devoted mother who gave tirelessly of herself during their upbringing. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 14 at 1:00 PM at Grace Episcopal Church, Main Street, Old Saybrook. A reception will follow. A private burial will be held at the family plot in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ruth's memory may be made to the Grace Episcopal Church Memorial Fund, 336 Main Street, Old Saybrook, CT 06475.