Ruth "Ruthie" Cole

Ruth (Ruthie) Marie Cole, (nee Rohan) Fortified with the sacraments of Holy Mother Church on August 20, 2021. Beloved wife of the late Richard W. Cole for 51 years, loving mother of Denise (Gary) Swindon of Liverpool, NY and Tim (Abby) Cole of St. Louis, MO. Cherished grandmother of Kristin (John) Wells, Shannon (Paul) MacCarrick, Connor (Brooke Sturgeon) Cole, Morgan (Alex Kurkul) Cole, Kearney (Brandon) Liuzza and Regan (Caleb Sellers) Cole. Precious great-grandmother to Blake, Maya and Cameron Wells, Elizabeth and Charlotte MacCarrick, Winona and Bridget Cole. Dear sister of the late Bud (Betty) Rohan, Brian (Carol) Rohan, Joan (Dan) Foster, and Helen (the late Art) Baca. Dear aunt, sister-in-law, cousin, godmother and friend to many. Special friend of John Nichols. Ruthie received loving care from Rose, Carol and Julie, Mercy Virtual and Mercy Hospice. Ruthie was born in Boston and lived in Providence, RI before arriving in Hillcrest as a young girl. Ruthie was a parishioner of St. Catherine of Siena/St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church for over 80 years. She was a devout Catholic. Her faith was central to her and she always tried to let an active faith life guide her. If you called her Ruth you either didn’t know her or you were corrected. She was an extremely large personality in a very small package with a motor that was always running. She was quickly and easily recognized over the phone or in a crowd by her strong Boston accent. She was a great observer of human behavior, a true-blue friend and a diehard Red Sox fan. Her infectious smile and dynamic personality brought positive energy to a room or situation and lifted up those around her. She would be the first to tell you that she had a rich and wonderful life. Ruthie lived in the moment and always found a way to be present for you, have fun and enjoy what was right in front of her. She loved the seashore, holding babies, shopping, chocolate in any form, lobster rolls, salted cashews, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches, pinochle with friends, going barefoot, dancing, driving fast in boats and convertibles, ice cream, a Sunday drive, dining out and picking up the check. She loved going to the ballpark and would watch any baseball game that was on tv. She eradicated fingerprints, streaks, smudges and dust, long before visible to others. She wore out washing machines and vacuum cleaners. Her house was impeccable, her yard always tidy and her front stoop well swept. Ruthie loved parties and get-togethers of any kind and never went to bed until the last glass was hand washed and put away. She always found a way to squeeze in one more concerned parent or sick child into an already jam-packed and full day. Ruthie loved being with people, any and all people, but preferred to not waste her time with a “stick in the mud”. She loved children, especially babies, and loved to be in the presence of her grandchildren and their children. Even hundreds of miles from home, she ran into folks she knew and seldom could walk past a table in a restaurant without greeting a friend or being greeted. She loved her time spent working at McLean’s Department Store, the Hillcrest Pharmacy and “the Doctor’s Office”. Hobbies: When riding in a car, she made sure to tell you what was going on around you and read you anything that had letters on it. She did many good things in kind, small and simple ways. She wrote notes and sent greeting cards to check in. She visited you when you were sick. Ruthie’s home, church, neighbors and friends brought her joy. She cherished her neighbors, took care of them and in turn, they later looked after her. There was no one who loved to shop more; she enjoyed bringing you a treat or a surprise from her adventures. Birthdays, trips, weddings and showers provided her with yet another opportunity to shop. She was thoughtful, caring, generous and grateful. Ruthie was your biggest and often times your loudest fan. She knew that she was well loved. She wanted this “Obit” to simply read “Ruthie died”. Godspeed Ruthie!
Family will accept friends at the THOMAS J. SHEA FUNERAL HOME INC. 137 Robinson St. Binghamton, NY on August 30th, 5 to 7 pm. The funeral Mass will be at 11 am on August 31st at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 1031 Chenango St. in Hillcrest. Internment at Calvary Cemetery, Johnson City. Memorial contributions preferred to Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins & Cortland Counties, P.O. Box 4683, Ithaca, NY 14852 or Join Hands ESL, P.O. Box 1429, East St. Louis, IL 62202.

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