(06/10/15) Heaton, Ruth E. (Branigan), 94, of Knotty Oak Road, died Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at the Coventry Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of the late William A. Heaton with whom she celebrated 71 years of marriage.
Born in Providence, she was a daughter of the late Henry R. and Mabel E. Branigan. Ruth worked as a waitress at the Robin\'s Nest Restaurant for 25 years and at Mabel\'s Fish n\' Chips for 20 years. Previously she had worked at Heaton\'s Ice Cream, owned by her husband, located on Knotty Oak Road in Coventry.
She was a member of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Foster and a very active member and former choir director for many years at First Baptist Church in West Warwick. She was a 35- year member and former secretary of the Model T Ford Owners of Southern New England Club; a member of the Rollin Rhodies; Rainbow Alumae, and a member of the Western RI Civic Historical Society serving as secretary for over 25 years.
She is survived by five children: Bonnie Mae Connor & her husband Edward of Laurel, MD; Lynda R. Hawkins & her husband Charles Sr. of West Greenwich; Paula Rossi & her husband David of West Greenwich; William R. Heaton & his wife Debra (Dauphinee) of West Warwick and Shelley G. Studley & her husband William of Coventry; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. She was the grandmother of the late Paula C. Hawkins and the sister of the late Mabel Tidd.
Her funeral service will be held on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 at 11:00 AM at Carpenter-Jenks Funeral Home & Crematory, 659 East Greenwich Avenue, West Warwick. Calling hours will be held on Monday from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Burial in the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be sent to: First Baptist Church, 1613 Main Street, West Warwick, RI 02893 or to Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 210 Plainfield Pike, Foster, RI 02825. Remembrances may be shared online at carpenterjenks.com.
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