Ruth Kingsley

Born January 14, 1908, four years before the sinking of the Titanic, in Pittsburgh, PA, she led a fascinating life that included domicile in Genthod, Switzerland, Lagos Nigeria and Beirut, Lebanon, following her late husband J. Donald Kingsley’s work as head of the International Refugee Organization and as a representative of the Ford Foundation.

Her deceased parents, Isaac and Nettie Caplan, were first-generation immigrants from Poland. She attended the University of Pittsburgh and worked as a librarian at Antioch College in Springfield, Ill.

Wonderful cook, especially of chicken liver and salads, crossword puzzle aficionado, lover and reader of books great and not so great, musician, and trend-setting recycler of goods great and small, were some of Mrs. Kingsley’s attributes.

Who knows if a daily Bloody Mary was one of her secrets to longevity?

She could do three crossword puzzles a day, including the New York Times’ and kept up with contemporary issues and affairs through the assiduous reading of daily newspapers. Stacks of piano and recorder music and a fine collection of recorder instruments attest to her musical talents and appreciation. Staying true to herself, Mrs. Kingsley was wary about airplane travel, refused to use microwave ovens; remote controls, reluctantly; CDs, rarely. To her, the Internet was a magical concept.

Mrs. Kingsley is survived by two children by adoption, Peter J. Kingsley of Marblehead, and Christiane Kingsley Ball of Syracuse, NY, daughter-in-law Janet E. Swaysland of Marblehead; five grandchildren – Julia L. Kingsley of Marblehead, Giles Kingsley of Augusta, Maine, Josselyn P. Kingsley of Farmingdale, Maine, Rebecca Ball of Ankara, Turkey, Donald Ball of Claremont, California, Jonathan Ball of Boston; and two great- grandchildren Amelia and Mira Skehan of Farmingdale; and Sammy the cunning Border Terrier, of Marblehead.

A memorial observance will be held, Saturday, January 22, 10am-12noon at the Eustis- Cornell Funeral Home, 142 Elm St. Marblehead. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Kingsley’s memory to the Peabody-Essex Museum, Development Department, East India Square, Salem, MA, 01970.