Ruth V. Mercer

MERCER, RUTH V., 96, of Little Egg Harbor, N.J., passed away Tuesday, February 7, 2023.  Born in Passaic, N.J., September 9, 1926, Ruth attended school in Teaneck and Hackensack, N.J., graduating from Hackensack High School where she took a commercial course.  Upon graduation she began a job as a secretary in New York.  After nine years of commuting from New Jersey to New York she stayed home for a while and then took a part time job in retailing.  This led to a job with Bloomingdales which was opening their first suburban store in N.J.  She did her management training in the New York store, and then worked in the new store in N.J. until her husband Frank was transferred in his job to Illinois.  After two years her husband was brought to Rhode Island by his company and they spent 18 happy years in Cumberland, R.I. where they were both very active in the community and their church, Arnold Mills Methodist Church.  Ruth was a past president of the Blackstone Valley unit of Church Women United.  She was a co-founder of the Blackstone Valley Emergency Shelter for Abused Children and volunteered at a shelter for abused women and their children.  Ruth also volunteered at a class of handicapped children, teaching them basic cooking skills preparing them, perhaps, for living on their own.  Ruth was a nominee for volunteer of the year in the state of R.I.  She was also part of a committee called “Learning For Life” which would be of interest to them.  When Ruth’s husband retired they couldn’t wait to move to Maine where they had vacationed for many years.  They bought a home in New Harbor and soon became involved in that community, both being charter members of C.H.I.P.  Ruth was corresponding secretary of C.H.I.P. for many years.  Ruth enjoyed cooking, gardening, reading, golf and bridge.  At the time of her death she was a member of the Bristol Congregational Church.  Ruth is survived by her brother William Watts, stepson John Mercer and his wife Carol, grandchildren Kim Olszewski, Wendy Becker and husband James, Shannon Olszewski, Lauren Mercer and Adam Mercer, along with four great-grandchildren. WOOD FUNERAL HOME, 134 EAST MAIN ST., TUCKERTON, N.J. is handling the arrangements.  

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