Ruth Helen (Goldberg) Tamkin

21, 2020. Ruth was born in Somerville, MA where she went to Somerville High School and entered

just the second class that agreed to admit women at Northeastern University in 1944 to study

math and physics, where she graduated in 3 years while working evenings at the Goldberg

family store in Somerville. She later would get her Masters at Rhode Island College. She

married her husband, Arthur Tamkin in Brookline, MA while he was a student at Harvard University.

Soon after they moved to Durham, NC where she worked at Duke Hospital while Arthur was

pursuing advanced studies. His career lead them to live in a number of places including

Cranston, RI for 20 years where they raised their children. She was active in the League of

Women Voters and the Democratic Party in Cranston and traveled to conventions and

meetings. They eventually settled in Augusta, GA where they lived for many years and she taught

math at Augusta Prep. When they retired they traveled many places and were very active in

their Adas Yeshurun Synagogue and many different cultural activities. While retired Ruth was a

docent at the National Science Center’s Fort Discovery, and also prepared taxes for Rhodes

Murphy. Ruth did not get to have a bas mitzvah in 1939 when it was almost unheard of in the

US for young women, but later she studied the Torah and in Augusta at 80 years old she was

bas mitzvahed in an Orthodox synagogue.

After Arthur passed, in 2008 Ruth moved to Jamaica Plain, MA to live with her daughter Andrea

and son-in-law Jim Bouchard, where Ruth was active in the local bridge club and water

aerobics. She had many friends in her new late in life community as she had the most pleasant

disposition and a beautiful smile that she shared with everyone she met. She loved helping her

grandson with his math homework and was an avid reader of the daily newspaper which she

read thoroughly front to back.

She was a loving mother and grandmother and is survived by her sister Shirley Greene, her

children, Laura, Andrea, Jill and Roi Tamkin, grandchildren Ida and Saul Foster, Gray and

Maurice Bouchard, and great-grandchild Marina Bouchard. Her perseverance and engagement

in life was a great example for all who were close to her.

Due to Covid-restrictions, private interment will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rogerson House in Jamaica Plain. 434 Jamaica Way, Boston, MA 02130, www.rogersonhouse.org.