Ruth Pittell "née Kathleen Dooley"

Ruth Pittell, née Kathleen Dooley, 96, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 11, at Doey’s House hospice in Hagerstown, Maryland. Ruth was born on February 26, 1929, in Dublin, Ireland. She left Ireland at age 17 and joined the British Army, where she attended secretarial school and served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) for about eighteen months.

She came to the United States in November 1957 as an au pair. Just before leaving for the U.S., she met Lewis Pittell. Ruth and Lewis married in Mt. Vernon, New York, on April 17, 1958. Over the years, they lived in several locations where Lewis was stationed, including Nebraska, where their son Michael was born, and England, where their daughter Lisabeth was born. They settled in Maryland in 1967 and made it their home for 57 years, actively participating in their community and neighborhood events.

Ruth retired from Rock Terrace High School in Montgomery County, Maryland, where she worked as a financial secretary for more than 30 years.

Ruth loved gardening, and she and Lewis shared a passion for travel, visiting England and Ireland frequently until 2016, when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Ruth is survived by her son, Michael Pittell; daughter, Lisabeth Pittell Shaffer; and grandchildren, Alycia Shaffer and Brian Shaffer. Ruth is predeceased by her husband, Lewis Kay Pittell.