Ruth (Crossan) Reeder died peacefully of advanced dementia on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, in Concord. She would have been 89 in February and she was survived by her loving spouse of 68 years, William E. Reeder. Ruth lived in Bow with Bill, who was devoted to caring for her at home until the last few months.

She was predeceased by her parents, Howard and Mildred Crossan, and sister, Marguerite Bennett, all of Medford, Mass. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her three children and their spouses: David Reeder and his wife, Donna, of New Boston; Susan (Reeder) Moss and her husband, Don Moss, of Bradford; Stephen Reeder and his wife Laurie, of Wilmot. She has seven grandchildren: Beth, Christine, Tim, Will, Sam, Allie and Grant. She is also survived by her brother, Ralph Crossan, of Andover, and nieces and nephews: Sandy, Mark, Peter, Dale and Laura.

Ruth was born and raised in Medford, Mass., where she captured the heart of Bill, a friend of her older brother Ralph, after he returned from the Navy. She was a comptometer operator for the Hood Rubber Company at the time. They were married, and bought their first home in Lexington, Mass. They later moved to Carlisle, Mass. to raise their three children. Ruth was a full time mom until her children were all in school, and then she worked as an aide in the Carlisle Elementary School for many years, a job that she truly loved. When her grandchildren came along, they too benefited from the special love and understanding Ruth had for children. She was a beloved grandmother, always to be counted on to play on the floor with them, to read and tell stories, and to do fun projects.

Ruth was also active in her town and volunteered for many organizations: teaching 4-H sewing, doing a heroic stint as a cub scout den mother, and volunteering for the town, the Council on Aging, and the Carlisle First Religious Society, where she sang in the choir and took part in countless church fairs. She was an expert knitter and seamstress, much to the benefit of her family. She was also an excellent baker known for her pies and always-full cookie jars.

Ruth and Bill moved to Bow in 2006, happy to be closer to the families of two of their children, and in hopes that the third family would find their way here as well. During the last few years, Ruth enjoyed having all of her children in one state. Family was everything to her and she will be greatly missed, but so very lovingly remembered.

A service of remembrance will be held on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Congregational Church in Goffstown. The family wishes to thank the staff at Havenwood in Concord for their excellent and compassionate care for Ruth.

Ruth had a big heart and she made it her mission to support the work of many varied causes and non-profit organizations. She was especially touched by the mission of the Sharing Foundation, and spearheaded her family’s support of their work in Cambodia. In lieu of flowers, if you feel inclined to make a gift in her honor, please choose a cause dear to your heart, just as she did. To share your memories and expression of sympathy with the Reeder family, please visit BennettFuneral.com and leave a comment.