Ruth Jacobson Starbranch, age 91, of Madison passed away peacefully on Nov. 11. Ruth was born in New Haven on April 20, 1926, daughter of the late Adolf Julius and Ellen Nilsson Jacobson. She was also predeceased by John, her husband of 46 years, and her two sisters, Cecilia Johnson and Betty Henrickson.
Ruth is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Lisa and Mark Carruthers, formerly of Old Saybrook, and currently living aboard the M/V Tapestry; Nancy and George Bailey of Clinton; and Debbie and Chet Kirby of Madison. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Ellen (Michelle) Bailey, Abby (Chris) Wurts, Meredith (Rachael) Bailey, Emily (Chris) Hein, Greg Kirby, and Lynsey Kirby. She is also blessed to be survived by three great-grandchildren, Lucy, Declan, and Jackson Bailey.
Ruth grew up in Bethesda Lutheran Church in New Haven, where she was very active in the choir and Luther League. She helped start the Doubles club and she and John continued to participate in it even after she left Bethesda. Church was where she met and married John in 1947. They lived in Hamden until relocating with their three young daughters to Madison in 1962. They joined the Lutheran Church of Madison, where Ruth was a member of the Ladies’ Guild and the Altar Guild.
She loved the town of Madison and was happy to raise her daughters there. In addition to participating in church activities, Ruth was a member of the Madison Women’s Club and a Girl Scout leader, delivered Meals on Wheels for several years, was active in a bowling league (where she was very good!), and enjoyed playing in a summer bocce league. She especially enjoyed the beach and evenings sitting with John on their front porch. Ruth also had a couple of part-time jobs at the Showcase gift store in Madison and at the London Luggage gift shop in Old Saybrook. John used to joke that she was their best customer!
Ruth and John were avid square dancers and longtime members of the Homenoscitt Square Dance Club. They danced at least once a week in various towns in Connecticut and went out of state for special weekends several times a year.
They also loved to travel and visited much of the United States as well as Bermuda, Scandinavia, and Europe. Their favorite summer places to visit were New Hampshire and Block Island. After John’s death in 1993, Ruth still went to New Hampshire for several years with her daughters and their families for summer vacations.
After living in Madison for 49 years, in 2011 Ruth moved to the Covenant Village of Cromwell. Her Swedish Lutheran heritage was very important to Ruth and she met many folks there with similar backgrounds whom she enjoyed getting to know and with whom she compared histories. She was a big fan of the New York Yankees and UConn women’s basketball and enjoyed discussing the games with her neighbors.
A memorial service was held at the Lutheran Church of Madison, 9 Britton Ln., Madison, to celebrate Ruth’s life, on Nov. 15. Swan Funeral Home, 825 Boston Post Rd., Madison, was in charge of arrangements. To sign the online guestbook, visit www.swanfuneralhomemadison.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Lutheran Church of Madison (9 Britton Ln., Madison, CT 06443), or the Covenant Village of Cromwell Benevolent Fund (52 Missionary Rd., Cromwell, CT 06416).
