Ruth Benjamin Fisherpassed away on September 16, 2018 in Lebanon, New Hampshire, comforted by the presence of her four children.

Ruth was born in Brooklyn, NY on August 9, 1931 to Abraham and Frances Benjamin; she was a feisty girl with two older brothers, to whom she was devoted well into old age. As a student at James Madison High School, she met the young man who was to become her husband.

After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Nursing, Ruth married Lloyd Fisher, who was then a medical student. She pursued her calling to serve others, initially at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, and later – after launching the lives of her four children – as a nurse with the Department of Public Health in Stamford, CT, working in Head Start programs, pre-schools and grade schools.

Ruth and Lloyd brought their respective families together in unusual and enduring ways. To this day, family gatherings always include a special mix of Benjamins and Fishers. Ruth and Lloyd showed up for events both joyful and sad, with Ruth always offering a warm smile, open heart, and listening ear to young people who needed support. Ruth was a nurturing mother to many more than just her own children.

Ruth and Lloyd retired to the Upper Valley where they had maintained a presence since the mid-1970s. Ruth continued her community service through volunteering at the Grantham Library and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

She and Lloyd followed their passion for travel, both foreign and domestic, always building in opportunities to be with family. Their interest in foreign places and cultures, respect for people from all walks of life, and devotion to family are legacies that have been carried forward through their children and grandchildren.

Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Lloyd; her brothers, Marty and Sam Benjamin; and her son-in-law, Ron Soriano.

She is survived by her four children: Nancy (Tony Allison); Ellen; Patsy (Jim Wasser); and Ken (Amanda Godley); nine grandchildren: Benjamin and Marina Godley-Fisher; Anna, Martin, and Cole Harris; Arielle Soriano; and George, Avi, and Rebecca Allison; and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will take place at 11:30am on Friday, September 21st at the Roth Center for Jewish Life at Dartmouth College, with burial to follow at the Upper Valley Jewish Cemetery.

If you wish to make a donation in Ruth's memory, please consider Planned Parenthood; the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center; or the organization of your choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH.