HORNELL-Mary Ruth Griswold, 90, of Erie Ave., passed away late Easter Sunday evening (April 16, 2017) at Hornell Gardens.
Born in Hornell on Valentine’s Day in 1927, she was the daughter of the late Dominic and Theresa (Lyons) Morey. On July 7, 1950 she was married at St. Ann’s Church in Hornell to James Griswold, who predeceased her in 1996 after 46 year of marriage.
A lifelong resident of Hornell, Ruth was a graduate of St. Ann’s School and Hornell High School. She also graduated from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa. and Geneseo State Teachers College and received her master’s degree in English from Alfred University.
Ruth was employed as an English teacher for the Hornell City School District before she began employment with Canisteo Central School where she served as the senior class advisor and taught for about 15 years before her retirement. She was a member of the New York State retired Teachers Association and a former member of the Alfred University Women’s Association.
A very devout member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish she was a daily communicant of St. Ann’s Church in Hornell and prayed the rosary every day. Ruth was also a charter member of court St. Ann No. 194 Catholic Daughters of the Americas, a former member of the Ladies of Columbus, the Nocturnal Adoration Society, the National Right to Life Committee and the Catholic Grandmothers Guild.
Besides being a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and sister, she was also a very talented artist.
Her loving family includes her four children, Mary (Joseph) Garofalo of Erie, Pa., James (Petra) Griswold of Dallas, Tex., Joseph (Bridget) Griswold and Mark Griswold all of Hornell; her seven grandchildren, Regina, Joseph, James, Matthew, Ryan, Steven and Kaitlin and her five great-grandchildren; also her brother, James Morey of Rochester as well as her nieces and nephews.
The Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc., 285 Main St. in Hornell is honored to serve the family of Mary Ruth Griswold.
To honor her wishes there will be no calling hours. Friends are invited to meet her family at St. Ann’s Church in Hornell where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Private committal prayers and interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Town of Fremont.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may have Masses offered in her memory.
Online condolences or remembrances of Ruth are welcomed at www.bishopandjohnsonfuneralhome.com.
