Ruth E. Wilkinson

Ruth Eleanor Wilkinson died peacefully at CareOne assisted living in Sharon, MA on April 3, 2025, at the age of 91.

Ruth is survived by her nieces Cynthia Manning and her husband Edward of Norwood, MA, and Melanie Wilkinson and her husband Paul Priano of Barrington, NH, and nephews Donald Wilkinson Jr. of Barrington, NH and Brett Peruzzi and his wife Robyn Gold of Framingham. MA, and great-nieces Michela Rosenblum and her husband Zachary Rosenblum of Framingham, Grace Manning of Norwood, and great-nephew Paul Manning of Norwood. Also survived by several godchildren and many dear friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, Helen (Dunphy) Wilkinson and Allan Wilkinson and her brother Donald Wilkinson and sister-in-law Marie (Peruzzi) Wilkinson, all of Quincy, MA.

Ruth was born on March 8, 1934, in Boston, MA. She spent her childhood in the Upham’s Corner section of Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood before moving with her family to Quincy as a young teenager. She graduated from North Quincy High in 1951. Immediately after graduation she began working for John Hancock Life Insurance Company, where she remained for 40 years until her retirement. After 25 years of employment she became a member of the company’s Quarter Century Club, which she later served as president.

Ruth was a talented seamstress who learned the skill from her mother Helen, a high school sewing teacher. Ruth made many of her own clothes for years, and was featured in several fashion shows at John Hancock. Her twin nieces Cynthia and Melanie were also recipients of her sewing talents and wore bespoke matching outfits for much of their early childhood. Ruth was also a leader for 20 years of a Brownie troop in the Wollaston section of Quincy, where she lived for over 75 years.

A frequent traveler, she took many cruises in the Caribbean as well as in Hawaii, French Polynesia and Alaska. In her early years there were frequent visits to Canada, to see her maternal grandmother’s birthplace in New Brunswick, and stay with her father’s relatives in Nova Scotia. She also visited Ireland and France and made several trips to Italy, where she connected with her sister-in-law’s cousins and had an audience with the Pope at Vatican City in Rome. Her passion for photography meant that her trips were well-documented and her home as well as those of family and friends were graced by examples of her photographic talents.

After retirement she also became an accomplished gardener, growing a wide variety of vegetables in her backyard. She was an accomplished cook and delighted in feeding family and friends alike.

Ruth was an active and dedicated member of Divine Mercy Parish (formerly St. Ann’s) in her neighborhood of Wollaston in Quincy for over 75 years. She was a regular volunteer there for nearly her entire adult life, teaching Sunday school and planning special events, and in retirement served as a Eucharistic minister at funerals and oversaw the church’s weekly collections from parishioners. In recognition of her work and dedication to the Catholic Church, she was awarded the Cheverus medal at Holy Cross cathedral in Boston by Cardinal Sean O’Malley in 2010. She also received a medal from St. Ann’s for her dedicated work for the parish over so many decades.

Ruth will be remembered fondly for her boundless optimism, kindness, generosity, humility, and independence.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during visiting hours on Monday, April 14, 2025, from 4-8 p.m. at the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock St., Quincy. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at Divine Mercy Parish in Quincy. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Divine Mercy Parish, 386 Hancock St, Quincy, MA 02171. 

The family would like to thank the staff and residents at CareOne assisted living in Sharon for their dedication and friendship during Ruth’s last year of life.