NEWPORT – Ruth V. White, 89, died May 13, 2012, at a Bangor hospital. She was born Dec. 20, 1922, in Patten, the second oldest of a family of seven to Henry and Mary Dora (Shorette) Pelkey.
She graduated from Newport High School in the top ten of a class of 32 in 1941. On Nov. 1, 1941, she was married by the Rev. John Reynolds to Donald H. White. Ruth was a very busy person. While raising her family, she worked part time at many different jobs. She picked potatoes, apples, beans, peas and carrots, was a waitress and short order cook, and employed with the hot lunch program, where she was a manager for some time in the grammar school. She was a den mother for the Cub Scouts and a Girl Scout leader. She also volunteered for the Meals for Me program from 1988 to 2011. She was a member of Victoria Rebekah Lodge, a past noble grand, and past district deputy in the Rebekah Assembly of Maine. Ruth was also past master of Eastville Grange No. 426. Ruth was an avid Red Sox fan and bowler. She had many trophies and plaques. She was a Senior Single champ in 1993 to 1994. She had a Triple Crown Plaque for teams, doubles and singles in the senior league and was still bowling in the 1990s with an average of 89. She was a member of Newport Senior Citizens since 1988 and held the offices of president, vice president and secretary for nine years. She was a secretary of the U.B.B.’s of High Street Congregational Church for many years until they folded for lack of members. She worked at the Edward’s Co. after her husband passed away in 1971, and retired in 1988.
She is survived by her son, Donald White Jr. of Newport; a daughter, Sharon Oakes of Bangor; a sister, Albertine Pelkey of Pittsfield; two sisters-in-law, Virginia Pelkey of Pittsfield and Eleanor Gordon of Florida; many nieces and nephews, including three special nieces and their families, Cheryl Webb of Stafford Springs, Conn., Jan Tasker of Etna and Paula Scott of Houlton. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by two sisters, Jacqueline Currier and Lillian Poulin; and three brothers, John, Shirley and Henry Pelkey Jr.
Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, May 17, at Crosby & Neal, 117 Main St., Newport. Friends may call 9 a.m. until the time of services. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery, Newport. Those who wish may leave written tributes at
www.CrosbyNeal.com.