Ruth Derivaux Ames

AMES, Ruth Derivaux, 93, of Woodcliff Lake and Bay Head, NJ passed away peacefully in the presence of her four children on February 20th, 2018. Born in 1924 in Orange, NJ, she was the daughter of C. Hubert Derivaux, a Newark attorney, and Ruth Jacobson Derivaux. Ruth acquired her lifelong nickname, “Honey” while growing up in South Orange, NJ and Wheaton, IL. She was a graduate of Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, NJ and in 1946 graduated with a degree in English from The College of St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, NJ. After college, she taught in the Springfield, NJ school system, and in 1951 she married Paul V. Ames. After moving to Closter, NJ where the couple raised their four children, she remained active in teaching by co-founding Story Hour, the pre-school program at St. Mary’s Parish. In 1966 the family moved to Woodcliff Lake, NJ where Ruth embarked on a career as a real estate broker, GRI. She sold residential real estate in the Pascack Valley for more than 40 years and was consistently a member of the Million Dollar Sales Club of the NJ Association of Realtors. A parishoner of Our Lady Mother of the Church in Woodcliff Lake, NJ she taught catechism for many years, was also a Eucharistic Minister and served as an active member of CASA. Ruth was predeceased by Paul V. Ames, Sr., her husband of 43 years, and her brother, Charles H. Derivaux, Jr. of Cherry Hill, NJ and is survived by her four children: Paul V. Ames, Jr. (Poppy), Elizabeth Ames, Allison Ames Treanor (Bill) and Hugh Ames (Ellen), as well as nine grandchildren. Visitation will be on Friday, March 2nd, from 2-4 and 7-9pm at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ. A Memorial Mass held on Saturday, March 3rd at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 2 Fremont Ave., Park Ridge, NJ at 10AM, where her beloved cousin Rev. Msgr. Carl D. Hinrichsen was in retirement until his death in 2016. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Ruth’s honor to The College of Saint Elizabeth, 2 Convent Rd., Morristown, NJ 07960.