DANVERS – Mrs. Ruth (Williams) Kingsley, 91, formerly of Wenham, died peacefully on December 23, 2020 with her family by her side and under the care and loving support of the nursing staff of BrightView Senior Living and Care Dimensions in Danvers. Ruth was the beloved wife of the late James Grafton Kingsley Jr.
Born in Danvers, she was the daughter of the late Ralph E. and Ellen (Smith) Williams. Ruth was predeceased by her brothers Gardner and Gordon Williams. She was raised and educated in Danvers and was a graduate of Holten High School. She continued her education at Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School in Boston.
Mrs. Kingsley began her professional career as a secretary with the Central Intelligence Agency. Upon having a family, she focused her life on raising her children in Wenham. She re-entered the workforce later in life working as a medical secretary in Danvers until the time of her retirement in 1986.
A loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Ruth’s interests were many: boating, fishing, reading, cooking, knitting and gardening. She was an active member and volunteer with the Danvers Council on Aging as the Meals-on-Wheels coordinator. She was a life member of the Jubilee Yacht Club and truly enjoyed spending time on the water sailing with her husband and friends. She will be deeply missed.
Ruth is survived by her son, James G. Kingsley of Lawrence, her daughter, Robin K. Brooks and her husband Rich of Haymarket VA, her grandchildren, Jeffrey Brooks and his wife Jody of Annapolis MD, Jason Kingsley and his wife Jannie of Hamilton, and Lauren Lake and her husband Paul of Haymarket VA and seven great grandchildren.
ARRANGEMENTS: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be a celebration of life at a later date. At this time, all other services are private. Assisting the family with the arrangements is the Peterson-O’Donnell Funeral Home, 167 Maple St., (rte. 62) Danvers. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Ruth’s memory to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan Street, Danvers MA 01923 www.caredimensions.org or to Alzheimer’s research at www.alz.org . To share a memory or offer a condolence, please visit www.odonnellfuneralservice.com.
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