IN MEMORIAM: Ruth Swart, 95, Golfer
In N.J.; Thanksgiving Home Resident
COOPERSTOWN – Ruth Louise Swart, 95, of Tryon, N.C., an avid and talented golfer in her younger years who later resided at the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home, passed away peacefully on Sunday morning Sept. 3, 2017.
Born in Orange, N.J., and raised in Hackensack, Ruth was the daughter of Herman Edward Martini and Edith Elizabeth Arliss.
Ruth and her husband, John, spent most of their married life in Westfield, N.J., retiring to Hilton Head, S.C., in 1992. In 2004, Ruth moved to the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home in Cooperstown.
Ruth was a devoted and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She volunteered at Overlook Hospital in Summit and helped prepare meals for distribution by Meals on Wheels in Westfield. On Hilton Head Island, she volunteered at a highly successful free medical clinic supported by local doctors.
She was also a talented golfer, who was twice Women’s Club Champion at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J., where she was honored as Golfer of the Year in 1979 and served as president of the Women’s 18-Holers in 1983-84.
Ruth also served as co-chair of the oversight committee at Baltusrol, working in tandem with the PGA of America in preparation for hosting the Men’s U.S. Open Golf tournament in 1980 and again for the Women’s Open in 1987.
In addition, Ruth was an active member of the Women’s Golf Association of New Jersey and was a member of the Baltusrol Golf Team competing in international tournament play in the eighties.
She was predeceased by her husband of over 50 years, John Swart, who died in 1993; her son, Peter Swart; sister, Jean Seidler and brother, Herman Martini.
She will be deeply missed by her son Harmon V. Swart (Jan), her daughter Margaret L Swart; grandchildren Peter Wright (Meghan), Jonathan Swart, Brandeis Wright Conroy (Chris), Eric Swart (Liz), Tripp Swart (Missy) and great-grandchildren William, Ava, Allison, Scarlett, Alexander, Christopher, Patrick and Lucy.
A funeral mass was held on Sept. 19, 2017, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Tryon, N.C. A burial service at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, NJ will follow at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to your local chapter of the Red Cross to support relief efforts in Texas and Florida or to the Cooperstown FD Emergency Squad, Cooperstown NY.
