Ruth Rankin Leaper, age 90, passed away on April 11, 2020, while in her sleep at the MeadowGreen nursing home in Waltham, MA. Ruth is survived by her sister Lois Prior of Cupertino, CA; daughters Diane Donohue (James) of Burlington, VT, Pamela Bakker of Tinton Falls, NJ, and Kitti Canepi of Las Vegas, NV; and son Robert R. Leaper (Carolyn) of Newton, MA; her loving grandchildren Carol, Joseph, Michael, Alissa, David, Andrew and Victoria; great granddaughter Payton and many nieces and nephews.
Born in Brooklyn, NY, on February 28, 1930, her birth family split time between Brooklyn and summers in a rustic cabin in Lake Hopatcong, NJ, where her late brother Andrew B. Rankin taught her how to paddle a canoe quietly so that you could sneak up on frogs. She graduated from high school in Garden City, NY, where her family lived for a short period, and started night school at Brooklyn College. She met the love of her life, the late Robert S. Leaper, at St. Marks Methodist Episcopal Church in Brooklyn and married February 12, 1951. Together they raised their family in Cambridge, MA; Cochituate, MA; Barrington, RI; Glenshaw, PA; and Glen Rock, NJ, before retiring to Eatontown, NJ, and later Hingham, MA.
Ruth was very active in the church, singing in the choir and teaching Sunday school and Bible studies at Barrington Congregational Church, Community Church in Glen Rock, and First Presbyterian Church in Red Bank, NJ. Ruth served as an elder at the Red Bank church and was also very active in the Women’s Aglow Fellowship (now Aglow International). She published many Bible studies and articles for their member publication and served as president of the NJ chapter.
Ruth will be remembered by all who knew her for her warmth, compassion, faith, quick wit, and boundless energy. She read voraciously, and because of that was a wiz at trivia.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Condolences may be made at www.eatonfuneralhomes.com and donations to area food banks given in lieu of flowers.
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