Ruth Railton Railton Gordon

Portland – Ruth Railton Gordon, 90, of Yarmouth, formerly of Salem, NH, South Portland, ME and Edgartown, MA died on Wednesday November 10, 2010 at Maine Medical Center after a brief illness. She was born on July 22, 1920 in Salem, NH, a daughter of Anne (Simpson) and Albert Railton. She attended Salem schools and graduated from Woodbury High School in Salem, NH.

On Washington’s Birthday, February 22, 1942 and with a snow storm blowing, Ruth married Ralph Henderson Gordon. Together they had a son and daughter and made their home in Salem, NH, then South Portland, ME, then Edgartown, MA and finally in Yarmouth, ME bringing them closer to where their children lived.

Being a devoted homemaker for Ralph, Chris and Jane was truly what Ruth’s life was all about. Her housekeeping skills were second to none, her talent as a seamstress allowed her and Jane to have very fashionable, well made clothes – so much so that all Ruth’s clothing for any formal event she made and Jane did not have a “store bought” dress until college.

As everybody knows, the true mark of a homemaker is cooking. Ruth had this down to an art form. She will be especially remembered for her exceptional Christmas cookies, each individually made and decorated, a family favorite even into adulthood.

Through the years Ruth tried her hand at golf and bowling – more for Ralph’s sake and at his urging but home was where her heart lived. Ruth will certainly be as remembered as a very caring woman who was always there, dependable and at times determined if it was called for and someone you could rely on when needed. For Chris – he’s more likely to remember her for the many sweatshirts Ruth sent him with “Martha’s Vineyard” on them to remind Chris where his parents lived.

Ruth is survived by her husband of 68 years, Ralph Gordon of Yarmouth; her son Christopher Gordon of Belfast; her daughter Jane Gordon of North Yarmouth; her four grandchildren: Ingrid Gordon; Peter Gordon and his wife Lenicias and their children, Joe and Addie; Alison Hoyt and her husband Matthew and their children, Dylan, Harley and Joseph; Andrew Foster and his wife Allison; her brother Arthur Roy Railton; her sisters: Elsie Rushton, Nancy Jones, Dorothy Dickie and many nieces and nephews.

There will be a graveside service at Edgartown Cemetery in Edgartown, MA on Friday November 19, 2010, at 1:00 PM.

For those who wish, donations may be made in Ruth’s memory to: American Stroke Association, 51 US Route 1, Suite M, Scarborough, ME 04074