Ruth B. Fletcher

Middletown, RI - Ruth B. Fletcher, of Middletown, R.I., died Saturday, November 12, 2011 at Blenheim-Newport, in Middletown. She was the wife of the late Donald B. Fletcher, Sr., MD. Born in Utica, N.Y. on April 24, 1917, she was the daughter of the late Ralph E. and Nellie Richardson Button.Ruth Alberta Button was a 1938 graduate of Syracuse University and a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. Trained as a Registered Dietician, she began her career at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital now Brigham and Women?s Hospital in Boston. It was here that she met Dr. Donald Fletcher. They married in 1939 and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where Dr. Fletcher completed his residency, and Mrs. Fletcher worked as a pediatric dietician for the University of Michigan Hospital. When her husband joined the Army in World War II, they moved around the country during his training. She lived in Syracuse, NY while he was serving in the South Pacific, and, upon his return, they settled in Newport. The family lived on Ayrault Street for many years.In addition to raising her family, Ruth was an active member of Emmanuel Church, as well as the Newport Hospital Auxiliary. She served the Newport Hospital Auxiliary as President and was also president of the RI State Hospital Auxiliary Association. Ruth taught Home Economics at Salve Regina University for several years. She took up landscape painting and needlework and enjoyed more than 65 summers as a member of Hazards Beach. In retirement, she and her husband moved to Oakland Farm in Portsmouth. She is survived by a son, Donald B. Fletcher, Jr., MD, and his wife Joan M. Fletcher of Portsmouth, RI., a daughter Cherry Fletcher Bamberg and her husband Paul G. Bamberg of Marlborough, MA, and four grandchildren, Elisabeth H. Hayden of Northborough, MA, Amy L. Proferes of London, England, Nicholas D. Fletcher, MD, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Nathaniel D. Fletcher of Denver, CO as well as seven great-grandchildren. Her funeral will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 1:00 PM at St. Marys Episcopal Church, 324 East Main Road, Portsmouth. Burial will be in St. Marys Churchyard in Portsmouth. Memorial donations may be made to St. Marys Episcopal Church, 324 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871.