Ruth Gallant Buzzell

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Ruth Gallant Buzzell, 91, died on Monday, August 5, 2019, at the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

She was born on September 20, 1927, in Websterville, to Ray Edward Gallant and Rena (McAllister) Gallant. Ruth had six siblings Hugh, Bruce, Shirley, Morris, Beverly, Robert, who are deceased.

Ruth attended Spaulding High School in Barre from 1941 to 1942, then attended Hartford Public High School, where she graduated in 1945. She joined the Cadet Nurse Corps and graduated from Barre City Hospital in 1948.

After graduation, Ruth worked at Barre City Hospital as an operating room nurse until 1968. She then worked as the emergency room head nurse at the Central Vermont Medical Center until 1977, the Family Health Associates in Berlin until 1988 and finally, at the Mountainview Medical Physicians Association, a family practice, also in Berlin, until she retired from nursing in 1996.

Ruth lived in the Barre and Washington area until 1997, when she moved to White River Junction. Ruth was an active member of the Bugbee Senior Center in White River Junction.

Ruth married Floyd L. Buzzell in Barre on Nov. 17, 1961. Floyd died in 1988. Her close friend and companion, James Ordway, with whom she reconnected at her 50th high school reunion in 1995, died in 2004.

Ruth is survived by her stepchildren Raella Buzzell Bueno and John Buzzell (Brenda Salvador); sister-in-law, Mary (Varik) Gallant; five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews, including Ronald and Barbara Gallant, and members of the Ordway family.

Pursuant to her wishes, Ruth will have a graveside service on August 31, 2019, at 11 a.m. in the Maple Hill Cemetery in Washington, Vermont.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bugbee Senior Center, 262 North Main St., White River Junction, VT 05001-7027; and the Quechee Library Association (Wilder Club & Library), 1957 Quechee Main St., P.O. Box 384, Quechee, VT 05059.