Ruth Dewey

Ruth Dewey (Huws Davies) was born in London, England in January 1923. Her father, Thomas, was a civil servant, and for many years the editor of The Welsh Outlook. Her mother Alice was active in the Labour Party and the Workers’ Educational Association. Ruth grew up in London, where she attended St. Paul’s Girls School, and developed a life-long love of theater, especially Shakespeare. She then studied political science at the London School of Economics.

After receiving her degree, Ruth taught adult education classes for the Oxford University Extension Program and was an active Labour Party member. Soon after World War II ended she returned to the LSE where she met Donald Dewey, an American economics student studying abroad. She and Don were married in London in August 1950, and she became, as she used to say a “GI Bill bride.”

In early 1951 she moved to Durham, North Carolina to join Don who had begun teaching at Duke University. Her son Christopher and daughter Rachel were born in Durham, and the family moved to New York in 1960 when Don accepted a position in the Economics Department at Columbia University. She lived in Riverdale for five years before moving to Hastings-on-Hudson in 1965. During this time Ruth returned to graduate school, and later received a master’s degree in political science from Columbia University.

Once settled in Hastings, Ruth became active in many community groups. She served as a member and president of the Hastings-on-Hudson Board of Education, and later joined the Affordable Housing Committee in Hastings. As her son grew older she became increasingly involved in organizations advocating for children and adults with disabilities, and these became her most lasting commitments. She served for many years on the Westchester Arc Guardianship Committee, retiring a few months after her 91st birthday.

Ruth was also active in the planning of the Kendal on Hudson retirement community in Sleepy Hollow. She moved there when it opened in 2005 (sadly, without Don who died in 2002) and was pleased to find herself making new friends well into her eighties. She is survived by son Christopher, daughter Rachel, and granddaughter Laura, as well as by extended family in England and Wales.

Should friends desire, contributions in Ruth’s memory may be sent to The Arc of Westchester, 265 Saw Mill River Road, Hawthorne, NY 10532, or Santa Cruz Shakespeare, 500 Chestnut St, Ste 250, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. A memorial gathering will be held Sunday, November 20th, at 3:00pm at Kendal on Hudson, 1010 Kendal Way, Sleepy Hollow, NY. All who knew her are welcome.