BRUNSWICK – With all her children gathered together, Ruth Luella (Albert) Leavitt passed peacefully and gracefully from this world to the next, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007, at Parkview Adventist Medical Hospital, Brunswick. Formerly of Houlton, she was born Dec. 1, 1919, in Winn, the daughter of Lewis and Margaret (Shannon) Albert. Ruth graduated valedictorian from Winn High School and attended beautician school in Portland. She married Earl E. Leavitt, May 25, 1939. They lived in Mapleton and Presque Isle, before moving to Houlton in 1943, where they raised eight children. They had a large vegetable garden and worked diligently canning and preserving to provide for their family. They also nurtured many neighborhood children who gathered to play in their yard under the legendary box elder tree. Everyone who ever visited them remembers climbing on the tree. After Earl died in 1973, Ruth became a teacher’s aide at Houlton Elementary School, where she continued her work with children, while raising her three youngest sons. In later years, she lived in Camden and Freeport. Ruth was always curious and eager to learn. She enjoyed reading, sewing, quilting, traveling, singing and could play the piano by ear. She was a member of the Houlton Garden Club, enjoyed educational organizations and was an avid walker until she developed Parkinson’s Disease. In addition to her parents and husband, Ruth was predeceased by six sisters and four brothers, Alice Meuse, Clara Pesacreta, Myrtle Plourde, Lois Albert, Mary Perkins, Beulah Hargrove, Richard Albert, James Albert, Lyman Albert and Carroll Albert; sisters-in-law, Loyola and Rena Albert; and brother-in-law, Robert Leavitt. Ruth is survived by four brothers, Clarence and Jean Albert, Alvin and Ann Albert, Frank and Sara Albert, and John and Rachel Albert; five sisters-in-law, Marie Albert, Barbara Albert, Janice (Albert) Stevens, Lorraine Leavitt, Helen and Mitty King; and three brothers-in-law, Louis and Nancy Leavitt, Glenn and Lucy Jones and Wayne and Julia Jones; eight children, Ann and Bill Colbath of Florida, Linda and Terry St. Peter of Belfast, Earl “Ted” and Sheila Leavitt of Wiscasset, Cheryl and Glenn McFadden of Searsport, Nancy Leavitt and David Yarborough of Stillwater, Philip “Phil” Leavitt of Lisbon Falls, Joseph “Joe” and Christine Leavitt of Ohio, and Mark Leavitt and Martha Carton of Freeport; 15 grandchildren, Christine and Rick Colbath-Hess, Jon and Manuela Colbath, Dan St. Peter, Denis and Sue St. Peter, Teresa St. Peter, Sherri and Alan Parks, Aaron and Titina Leavitt, Joelle and Adam Webber, Jesse Leavitt, Peter McFadden, Katey McFadden and Chad Howland, Rachel McFadden, Zachary Leavitt, Ian Leavitt, Samuel Leavitt; and eight great-grandchildren, Jacob and Sophie Colbath-Hess, Maxine and Jamie Colbath, Justin and Tyler St. Peter, Mason and Connor Parks. Ruth will also be sadly missed by her nieces, nephews and friends of Houlton and Camden. There will be no visiting hours. A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5, at St. John’s Catholic Church, York Street, Bangor. A reception with refreshments will be held after the service in the church hall for family and friends. The family is very grateful to the staff at Parkview Adventist Medical Hospital and CHANS Home Health Care of Brunswick. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to Maine Parkinson Society, 5 Bucknam Road, Suite A, Falmouth, ME 04105.
RUTH LUELLA (ALBERT) LEAVITT
