Ruth Grogan Waters, of Binghamton, N.Y., passed away at home on August 29, 2007 at the age of 74. She was predeceased by her husband, Robert C. Waters in 1996; her parents, Grace and Paul Grogan; her in-laws, Lavon and Harold Waters; and brothers, Robert and Paul Grogan. She is survived by her son, Michael and daughter-in-law, Ann Waters, Jackson, New Jersey; her daughter, Carol and son-in-law, John Newell, San Diego, Calif.; and two grandchildren, Laura Ann Newman, Scranton, Pa., and Robert M. Waters, Jackson, N.J. She is also survived by her sister, Margaret McQueen, Tully, N.Y.; a brother, George Grogan, Westminster, Md.; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Don and Ann Waters, Lisle, N.Y.; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. Ruth was a devoted and active member of St. James Parish and its Tabernacle Society in Johnson City, N.Y. She was also a member of the Johnson City Study Club. Ruth was also blessed with an abundance of great and close friends, especially the group known as the "Ladeez". Throughout her entire life, Ruth's favorite pastime was reading, with a particular fondness of well-written books and articles. She had a love of words and their proper use, leaving a legacy of well-trained friends and family as proofreaders. Ruth was employed by Vail-Ballou Press Book Manufacturing in Binghamton, N.Y. for many years. During the 1980's she and her husband lived in suburban Baltimore, Md., on the Gunpowder Cove, spending many happy times cruising the Chesapeake Bay on their boat. While living near Baltimore, Ruth was a licensed Realtor, and was employed by the Veterans Administration (VA) Office of Technology Transfer, where she became the Managing Editor of the VA's prestigious Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. As we begin to celebrate her life, we wish to extend our thanks to all her loving friends and family for their never-ending show of love and support during her last days among us.
Funeral Services will be held at the J.F. Rice Funeral Home, Inc., 150 Main St., Johnson City, N.Y., Saturday, September 1, 2007, at 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at St. James Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Burial will immediately follow at Vestal Hills Memorial Park in Vestal, N.Y. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the St. James Parish Building Fund, 147 Main St., Johnson City, N.Y. 13790 in Ruth Grogan Waters' memory. "Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go..." Louisa May Alcott