RUTH C. WORDEN
COLCHESTER, VT

ON JUNE 4, 2021, RUTH C. WORDEN PASSED AWAY WITH HER FAMILY BY HER SIDE.
SHE WAS THE YOUNGEST DAUGHTER OF CHARLES AND CARRIE (CHASE) CASWELL OF COLCHESTER, VERMONT. SHE WAS BORN AT THE MARY FLETCHER HOSPITAL IN BURLINGTON, VERMONT ON DECEMBER 12, 1917 AND ATTENDED SCHOOL IN COLCHESTER AND GRADUATED FROM BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL.

SHE MARRIED CLAYTON CILLEY OF COLCHESTER, SEPTEMBER 16, 1940. TO THIS UNION WAS BORN TWO SONS; HOLLIS AND CARLETON CILLEY. BOTH BOYS WERE VICTIMS OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY AND PASSED AWAY AT THE AGES OF 21 AND 13. CLAYTON PASSED AWAY IN 1970.

SHE WAS ALSO PREDECEASED BY HER 2ND HUSBAND ELMER WORDEN, AND TWO SISTERS, ILA BROWN OF FLORIDA AND FREDITH SANDERSON OF WILLISTON, VT AND SEVERAL NIECES AND NEPHEWS.

SHE IS SURVIVED BY A NIECE ARDELLA HUGHES OF FLORIDA AND SEVERAL GREAT NIECES AND NEPHEWS, GREAT-GREAT NIECES AND NEPHEWS AND MANY SPECIAL FRIENDS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.

SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF COLCHESTER AND WAS INVOLVED WITH THE METHODIST CHURCH OF WINOOSKI. SHE WAS A LONG TIME MEMBER OF THE GRANGE, PAST STATE PRESIDENT OF THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR VETERANS AUXILIARY, A MEMBER OF THE GREEN MOUNTAIN FOLKLORE SOCIETY AND THE COLCHSTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

FOR 30 YEARS SHE WORKED FOR THE STATE OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF FORESTS AND PARKS IN PARK OPERATIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH EASTERN VERMONT, RETIRING AT THE AGE OF 76, AS THE PARK RANAGER AT MT. ASCUTNEY STATE PARK IN WINDSOR, WHERE SHE HAD WORKED FOR EIGHT YEARS. SHE TRULY MISSED “MY MOUNTAINS” “MY HANG-GLDING FRIENDS” AND THE CAR RACERS. AFTER MOVING TO COUNTRY PARK APTS. IN SO. BURLINGTON AND BELIEVING LIFE TO BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND READY FOR A NEW CHALLENGE, SHE WORKED AS AN ASSISTANT AT CHAMBERLAIN SCHOOL AND THE SHELBURNE TOWN OFFICES AND AS A TOURISM HOSTESS THERE.

PROUD TO BE A NATIVE VERMONTER, SHE SPENT MUCH TIME TRACING HER FAMILY GENEALOGY BACK TO THE MAYFLOWER AND LEAVING A LEGACY OF STORIES AND FACTS ABOUT HER ANCESTORS. SHE ALSO WROTE HER MEMOIRS OF 30 YEARS IN STATE PARK SERVICE.

“I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY GREAT-NEPHEW AND NIECE ROGER AND DEBBIE CURTS AND GREAT-GREAT NIECES AND NEPHEW ABBIE AND ETHAN & EMILY CURTIS FOR ALL YOUR LOVE, CARING AND CONCERN FOR ME FOR MANY YEARS. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT YOU.”

RUTH WROTE HER OWN OBITUARY, SHE TRULY WAS AN INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US. 
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL WHO CARED FOR HER AT GREEN MOUNTAIN NURSING HOME. SHE MADE SPECIAL FRIENDS AND WOULD TALK TO EVERYONE. WE HOPE AUNT RUTH AND HER FRIEND ROSEMARY ARE ONCE AGAIN HAPPY TO BE REUNITED.

A GRAVESIDE SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 11:00 AM ON MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2021 AT THE COLCHESTER VILLAGE CEMETERY.

ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN CARE OF CORBIN AND PALMER FUNERAL HOME, 9 PLEASANT STREET, ESSEX JUNCTION, VT.