NEW SHARON – Ruth Crockett Webster, 91, passed away Friday, October 11, 2013, at her home of fifty-three years in New Sharon surrounded by her family. She was born in Sumner, Maine on May 14, 1922, the daughter of Horace and Marion (Stetson) Crockett.
She grew up on the family farm on a rocky hillside at the foot of Black Mountain. She attended the one room Morrill School for eight years and graduated from Buckfield High School in 1940. On November 2, 1940, she married Donald E. Webster of Castine. They first raised their family in Sumner and, after 1960, in New Sharon. In addition to providing a loving home for her family, Ruth was a true partner with Donald in the operation of the farm. After they retired in 1979, Ruth and Donald bought a camper. They enjoyed clamming and family visits in the Castine area as well as fishing and camping on Moosehead, Rangeley and other lakes. After Donald died in 1986, she traveled extensively with her daughters to Montana, Alaska, New York, Canada, Florida and Brazil. She enjoyed camping and canoeing trips with her children and grandchildren on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Allagash and Lobster Lakes. Ruth was an avid reader and collector of books. She volunteered at the New Sharon Library for many years.
Ruth enjoyed many activities and hobbies. She planted, cultivated and preserved large harvests from her expansive vegetable garden. She grew and enjoyed many varieties of flowers. She appreciated the outdoors, collecting colorful autumn leaves, feeding song birds, walking, snow shoeing, and cross country skiing. Her skills in knitting and crocheting, basket making, quilting, and other crafts provided her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, friends and neighbors with treasured, handmade items. She was an enthusiastic scrapbooker and photographer, filling many pages with newspaper clippings, mementos and her nature photography. Saturday night family suppers of home-made baked beans and evening games of Dominoes, Cribbage, Sixty-three and Hi-low jack were among her favorite times. Her home was the center of many family gatherings for birthdays and holidays. She enjoyed listening to Red Sox radio broadcasts with her realistically low expectations for the team’s success.
Ruth is survived by her brother, Burleigh Crockett, of Waterville: all eight of her children, Maynard A. Webster, Betty Harris, Jeanette Adams, Margaret Webster, Norma E. Webster, Robert E. Webster, Marie W. Small, and Stanley E. Webster; fifteen grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren; and two great, great grandchildren
Family and friends will gather at the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Rd., (Rtes. 2 & 27), Farmington on Friday, October 18, at 1:00 p.m. for a celebration of Ruth’s life, with Rev. John Tolman officiating. A reception will immediately follow the memorial celebration at the Center. Memorial donations in Ruth’s name may be made to the Jim Ditzler Memorial Library in New Sharon at P.O. Box 61, New Sharon, ME 04955 or the Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice at 15 Strawberry Avenue, Lewiston, ME 04210 to support families providing their loved ones with home end-of-life care. Online condolences may be expressed at www.wilesrc.com.
Ruth Crockett Webster
