Ruth (Bogardus) Case, 97, of Simsbury, CT, passed away on Monday, February 20, 2017, surrounded by her loving family, her friend, Linda Hellyar and the devoted caregivers at Duncaster in Bloomfield, CT. Ruth was born on September 28, 1919 to Edgar and Edythe (Erikson) Bogardus, Bloomfield, CT. She was the beloved wife of the late Jesse L. Case, Jr. for 64 years. Ruth was a member of the First Church of Christ in Simsbury.
Ruth and Jesse made their home on Terrys Plain Rd in Simsbury, where they raised their four boys - Richard, Stanley, Kenneth and Norman. Ruth was an extraordinary wife and mother. Her family was her world.
Ruth truly enjoyed entertaining a houseful of relatives and friends. Ruth and her sister, Estelle (who lived next door) managed regular family reunions with many, many relatives and friends from all over joining in on these joyous occasions. Ruth and Estelle really excelled at creating feasts that delighted these large groups. Ruth always reveled in catching up with everyone’s lives at these events.
Ruth was noted for making great meals for her family of growing boys - her pies and cookies were famous! She always seemed to find the time to bake for the boys even though she worked full-time for a number of years as an insurance administrator for what was then called the Connecticut General Insurance Company.
Ruth and Jesse loved the great outdoors - bicycling, hiking, canoeing and, of course, camping. Camping for Ruth and Jesse really got started when they took their four boys, a station wagon and a tent on a six week, cross-country trip in 1960. At the time, it was so notable that their journey was written up in the newspaper.
Ruth and Jesse’s camping experience evolved to traveling the US in their little motor home with their bicycles attached to a rack in the front and their canoe on the roof. They traveled to the West Coast more than twenty times after they retired to visit the numerous relatives that lived there, including their son, Stanley, and his family. Along the way and on trips throughout the South, Northeast and Canada, Ruth and Jesse visited as many National, State and Provincial Parks as they could. They even drove their motor home to Alaska.
Ruth will also be remembered by many in Simsbury for her love of biking and she continued to ride until age 90. In some years, Ruth rode an amazing 3,000 miles a year. Her passion for biking was legendary in Simsbury which always brought a smile to her face. Ruth even biked outside the US - biking France at age 85 and in Holland and Belgium at 87.
Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Jesse, her son, Norman Case, North Granby, CT, her brothers Roger Bogardus, Wells River, VT and Warren Bogardus, Pico Rivera, CA and her sister, Estelle Case. Simsbury, CT. She is survived by three sons and their spouses: Richard and Linda Case of Bloomfield, CT, Kenneth and Susan Case of Simsbury, CT and Stanley Case of Sebastopol, CA. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Linda-gail Case, North Granby, CT and her sister-in-law, Helen Bogardus, Falls River, VT.
Ruth also leaves eight grandchildren: Melanie, Ryan, Acacia, Arlin, Sylvia, Kim, Jennifer and Jessica. She also leaves eleven great grandchildren: Gabriel, Jordan, Alandra, Sophia, Sebastian, Vivian, Benen, Malek, Charles, Addison and Aubrey.
Ruth will be in our hearts forever.
Calling hours will be held at the Vincent Funeral Home, 880 Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury on Thursday, February 23rd from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Funeral service will be at the funeral home at 10:30 AM on Friday, February 24th. Burial will follow in Simsbury Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Farmington Valley Trails Council, Inc., P.O. 576, Tariffville, CT 06081. Please visit Ruth’s “Book of Memories” at www.vincentfunerahome.com for online condolences.