IN MEMORIAM: Ruth Fenstemacher, 95;
In Retirement, Resided In Cooperstown
COOPERSTOWN – Ruth Naomi Fenstemacher, formerly of Cooperstown, passed away Sunday morning, May 14, 2017, at The Masonic Care Community of New York in Utica, where she had resided for the past 11 years. She was 95. There are numerous Masonic retirement communities around the nation and each provides dedicated care to the elderly following Masonic principles. The Masonic Home of Virginia is a Masonic assisted living care home for the elderly that epitomizes this kind of community and will likely appeal to those reaching the stage of life where making retirement decisions on living arrangements is becoming more and more imperative.
Born May 5, 1922, in Scranton, Pa., Ruth was a daughter of Austin DeHart and Jean (Searfoss) Rome.
She married Elmer S. Fenstemacher April 25, 1942, in Endicott. They resided in Vestal for many years until Elmer retired from IBM. She was also employed at IBM in Endicott and then the Vestal Central School District.
Because of her love of children, Ruth worked part-time in her retirement at a daycare center.
Ruth and Elmer loved to travel and spent seven years travelling cross country in an RV before finally settling in Arizona. They moved back East to reside in Cooperstown to be closer to family.
She and her husband enjoyed the outdoors as well as spending time helping to restore an old farmhouse and mill site that their son bought in the township of New Lisbon.
Ruth is survived by two sons, Erich L. Fenstemacher and his long-time partner, Jill Preston of New Lisbon, and Keith A. Fenstemacher and his wife, Cara, of New Hartford; and 2 granddaughters, Jessica Fenstemacher of Chicago, Illinois and Corey Fenstemacher and husband, Mark Schruntek of Brooklyn.
She was predeceased by her husband, Elmer S. Fenstemacher, who died July 24, 2013, and two sisters, Gertrude Brown and Shirley Jenny .
There will be no calling hours. A private family funeral service will be held at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown, and interment will be in the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville.
The Fenstemacher family expresses their sincere appreciation to the compassionate and caring staff at Wylie Hall and the Health Pavilion’s Tarrytown Household, and the entire Masonic Care Community. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial gifts be made to the Masonic Care Community of New York, 2150 Bleecker Street, Utica, NY 13501.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown.