In Memory of

Ruth

Nagel

Dick

Obituary for Ruth Nagel Dick

Ruth Nagel Dick, 90, died peacefully on May 25, 2020 after a recent rapid decline. She was born and raised in Denver, CO to Frank and Lulu Nagel, both predeceased. She was the youngest of five siblings, brothers Bill, Fred, and John Nagel, and sister Mary Boland, all predeceased. Lulu was 45 when she had Ruth, and by that time her oldest brother was heading off to college. Due to that age difference Ruth always said that she was "the apple of her father's eye". Her father Frank was a mining engineer and mother Lulu a college-educated Latin teacher. Ruth graduated from the University of Colorado (Boulder) in 1952 with a degree in medical technology, the field she worked in prior to marriage.
Ruth married Lewis Richard Dick in 1953 and they shared an amazing 62 years together. In 1968, they moved their family to Simsbury, CT. She leaves five sons, Andy, Tom, Peter, Paul and Matthew along with four daughters-in-law, Barbara, Penny, Jacky and Lilla and seven grandchildren, Julie, Nate, Dan, Josh, Sam, Lauren and Ben. For Ruth, family and friends meant everything - they were her touchstone. She also enjoyed gardening and created amazing scrapbooks chronicling her early years and especially her family.
When her family got older, Ruth returned to work as a medical technologist at New Britain General Hospital. In her early 50s, however, she went back to school and received a Master’s degree in counseling from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT. She joined a small counseling practice but later worked with at-risk families and children for New Britain General Hospital's Family Enrichment Center. There she helped create and direct the "Mom's Program", a project dedicated to helping young mothers navigate the issues and stresses of motherhood.
Upon retiring Ruth and Lewis traveled extensively. They took well over 15 trips to France, England, Spain and other Europe countries, as well as Israel and Russia. They had planned a trip to China but Lewis was diagnosed with Parkinson and they never made it. Lewis passed in 2015.
In 2019 Ruth move to Andover, MA to be closer to many of her children and grandchildren. She celebrated her 90th with a Sunday morning brunch surrounded by all of her extended family. She was an exceptionally kind, caring and loving wife, mother and friend - and deeply touched all who knew her.
A celebration of Ruth's life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Family Enrichment Center - MOMS Program, 100 Grand Street, New Britain, CT 06050, or to Saint Albans Episcopal Church, 197 Bushy Hill Rd, Simsbury, Ct 06070, in the name of Ruth N. Dick. Vincent Funeral Home of Simsbury is caring for the arrangements. Please visit Ruth's “Book of Memories” at for on-line tributes.