Ruth S. Charette

There is so much that can be said about Ruth Charette, also known as Mom, Me Mere, and Me Mere toots. She was born in Lewiston Maine on October 26, 1935 to Albany Turcotte and Emilienne Boulay. The middle child of three Ruth could always be found riding the bike her Dad bought for $.50 or catching a flick with Jeanine and Madeline. Mom was a daredevil, a trait that she passed onto her kids. Ruth, Jeanine and Madeline were known as the 3 Musketeers, they would jump from the 2nd story of their building in to the snow banks below landing up to their necks. Mom was a jokester, her brother Ray recalls having to chaperone mom’s dates with dad. Mom didn’t like that or the fact that she had to miss going on dates to babysit Ray, so she would chase him around the house with a scary coconut head. Pat was her favorite sister-in-law even when she forgot she had a sister-in-law. Ruth was competitive, even when it came to having children. She’d call her sister Claudette and ask her if she was pregnant yet. They had children close together and would get together and play cards late into the night. Ruth and Bob were the God parents to her daughter Kathy. She also had a special place in the hearts of her nieces and nephews who always referred to her as “My Ma Tante Ruth”

Later, when Mom realized Bob Charette was the love of her life and soulmate. They spent their free time going to the beach, dancing at the hops, or going to the movies always being chaperoned by her baby brother Ray. Mom married Dad on April 13, 1955. They had 6 children; Tom, John, Debbie, Gary, Jim and Steve. Mom lovingly referred to us as her 6 pack. Growing up we got to spend our weekends at the beach having picnics. She was an amazing mother. She could always be found supporting Tom, John, and Steve on the little league field cheering the loudest or going over lines with Jim, encouraging him to try out for the school musical. She was always supportive of her kids. When Tom decided at 9, he was going to be a chef. He started by making breakfast for Mom and Dad, getting creative with his ingredient choices. She always made sure to tell him it was the best food she ever had. Even when her birthday cake was gray and he placed the candles on backwards making her older than she was, she never complained. When Gary would ask her why he was so small or why he wasn’t growing as big as the others, Mom would sing him his favorite song, Que, Sera, Sera and tell him big things come in small packages. She always made each one of her kids feel special even when it was a secret trip with Jim to get McDonalds while the other kids were still in school, or saving some money Dad had given her to get herself something special and buying Debbie, the only daughter, some dresses and matching tights so she would feel pretty and girly.

In 1976 Ruth and Bob moved to Arizona. They became members of OLPH, Mom joined the Ladies Guild, and Mom and Dad served as eucharistic ministers. She was a faithful member of OLPH for 43 years. She and Dad helped to form the youth group. Mom loved to help people. She would put together the layettes for the expectant mothers at the church, and she had a passion for helping those in need, especially the less fortunate. She always put others before herself especially her family. Mom can be remembered for the pride she took in her appearance. She always had on her lipstick and perfume, her earrings had to match her watch and necklace, and she always had to have an angel pin on her lapel. She never left the house without her purse, even making who ever she was with go back to her house to get it if she forgot her purse. Even if she was just going to Gary’s house for dinner, “You never know if I’ll need something out of it” she’d say, and she would always need something it never failed. Mom loved to watch movies. Steve remembers renting 3 movies hoping to finish them all in one night. Anyone who knew Mom, knows she liked to chat. She would have Steve pause the movie so they could discuss the different scenes. An hour-long movie would take all night to finish, but neither of them minded. Mom enjoyed going on late night shopping trips to Wal-Mart with her Daughter Debbie, not to buy anything but to act up on all of the aisles trying on different things and being silly. Mom was competitive another trait she passed on to her kids. Game nights were always a blast, Tina remembers playing Pictionary and when it was Mom’s turn to draw, none of her team members could figure out what she was trying to draw. Mom got so upset because she wanted to win, always. Her sense of humor didn’t end with her kids, she liked to tease their spouses too. Like pretending she didn’t know who Byron was so she could say “April Fool’s Sweetie”, or always calling Eric the wrong name, Henry. Eric isn’t an affectionate person and doesn’t like to give anyone kisses, Mom always saw it as a day to celebrate when she would finally get Eric to give her a kiss good-bye. Ruth’s 6 children blessed her with 15 grandchildren. All of whom had a special one of a kind relationship with her. She always made sure to save a spot for Bobby to sit by her feet so she could scratch his head. She always made time to go “Do Lunch” with Christina so they could have their special chats. She made sure to teach her son how to do his daughter’s hair, inspiring Jessica to later become a hairstylist so she never again had to have her hair too tight. She always listened to them, when Nicole pointed out a stuffed hanging monkey a year before her birthday, Mom remembered and surprised her with it on her 16th birthday lunch as a surprise. She stepped in to be the mother figure Alan needed when he wanted advice. She always made sure to tell Brandon how handsome he was. She always wanted the grandkids to feel special. She was there to listen to Justin when he needed advice, and got him the best thing he ever received for Christmas, a stereo system. She had the best sense of humor, Nicholas remembers how witty she was, always wanting to make everyone laugh. Just ask Jeff, Jeremy, and Jonathan; Mom could make cracking open a lobster hysterical. She loved to tease Jesse about his concrete hair. She loved talking to Ashley about when she was younger with Dad. She made sure to have Angela over for special one on one sleepovers where she taught her to say the rosary. She had a special relationship with Michael, he was the only one out of all of the grandkids to pronounce her name Me Mere and it really touched her heart. When her grandkids started having kids, she couldn’t figure out what her special great grandma name would be. Jeremy did though, she became Me Mere Toots because of him calling her toots on all her trips to Maine. She had a great love for life. She never met a stranger and she loved everyone. She always made sure the kids had goody bags on the holiday’s and a special hand-written Birthday card. They always knew which one was from her because of the stickers.

When one of the kids got married, she didn’t gain an in-law, she gained another child or grandchild. Always reminding them that if they weren’t careful, she would snatch up Larry, Crystal or Jeremy. Nothing changed when she began having great-grandkids. 31 in all, she still had her inside jokes like “Peter” and her special shopping trips to Target. Now she has a great-great-granddaughter, Ayla, and a great-great-grandson Killian on the way. She waned to make sure that singing you are my sunshine would stay a tradition. Even though she wasn’t a football fan she learned to love the Denver Broncos, watching them every Sunday from the edge of her seat, rooting them on!

Mom loved everyone, friends were considered family in her eyes. I know that everyone she met held a special place in her heart. Mom was an inspiration to all of us. I know she is up in Heaven, finally reunited with her soulmate, Bob, smiling down on all of us, proud of the legacy she left behind.