Ruth Cyr

RUTH ELEANOR CYR

HERMON

Ruth E. Cyr, 95, beloved mother and grandmother, died June 3, 2025 at her residence, in the presence of her loving family. Ruth was born in Milo, the firstborn daughter of Charles A. and Edith L. (Newman) Grinnell. Her "first breath" was taken at McFadden Hospital in Milo.

Ruth grew up in Milo during difficult economic times. She first lived in an upstairs apartment in Milo with her parents, later moving to Derby. Her father, loving the out of doors (a trait Ruth inherited from him), eventually built a house at the foot of Swett Hill on Park Street where they moved to when she was 5 years old. There was no running water or an inside bathroom, which made life very challenging. However, living on Park Street afforded the opportunity to visit with her grandmother "Minnie" Newman. She said "this changed my life around." Ruth had her Aunt Millie Newman (4 years her senior) and cousins Bobby and Harold with whom she could spend hours of time for several years of her childhood. Ruth's cousin Harold loved Ruth's cornet and he subsequently learned to play this beloved instrument. They would look for golf balls on the local course, go sliding on the largest hill, and play out of doors for hours at a time. She also loved visiting in to Lakeview Plantation (where her mother was born and raised) whenever possible.

Ruth really did walk one mile to school each way, regardless of the weather conditions, and having donned her least favorite clothing item indicative of the times-the infamous Union Suit! Ruth attended schools in Milo and was a graduate of Milo High School. Ruth played the position of guard on the girls' basketball team at Milo High School. Since it was during war times, they were limited in how many teams they played, but they did compete against Greenville, Brownville, Brownville Jct., and a few other local teams.

As a very young child, Ruth loved spending time with her grandparents (Grinnell) at their farm in Garland. During the later years of her youth, she would visit with her grandmother Grinnell in East Dover; and, would look forward to an occasional trip on the train to Greenville with her Great Uncle Bert (Great Aunt Rose's husband, Ruth's grandmother Grinnell's sister) when he would make the trip to pick up mail and return it to the post office in East Dover.

Mom developed an incredible work ethic that was evident throughout her life time. She would pick wild strawberries as early as 3 years old! She spent many hours picking peas, beans, and potatoes at Kroemer's farm in Milo during her youth and young adulthood. She once received an award for the greatest number of beans picked during the season and received a War Bond that she kept for many years. Her other jobs included working at the T&K Store as a general clerk one summer while in high school; and, as a "soda jerk" at Daggett's Drugstore where she later met the love of her life Eddie, to whom she was married for 60 years when Eddie died. After high school, Ruth moved to Bangor and worked as a file clerk at the T.R. Savage warehouse office filling orders with the first new set up of "computers", and for the Commercial Credit Operation (Columbia Street). Eddie would drive to Bangor once a week and take Mom on dates.

Ruth married Eddie after a 3-year courtship. They settled in Belfast as newlyweds where Eddie was learning the watch repair trade under the GI Bill. After about a year, they moved back to Milo. Eddie started a watch repair business, but needed more income. Work was scarce after WWII, so he worked as a guard at the B&A RR in Derby. He trained to become a telegraph operator for the B&A under the GI Bill. Ruth worked at the Dowlin Lumber Company until she got pregnant with their first child, Joel.

Ruth was a lifetime lover of acquiring knowledge. She did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education until into adulthood. She obtained her teaching degree from the University of Maine during1975 where she had taken classes part time for 7 years while simultaneously raising their family. She worked for several years as a substitute teacher in the Milo school system. She later went to work for the US Postal Service as a relief rural letter carrier for 12 years, then full time, retiring in 1998.

Ruth attended the United Methodist Church in Milo during her childhood. After marrying our Dad during 1949, she was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church where she played the organ and sang in the choir.

Ruth was an author, having co-authored the books "Derby" and "Atco Inn" (Ruth was the primary researcher and compiler for these two books). She was contributor for books on the topic of Lake View Plantation and Katahdin Iron Works (KIW). She was told by two of her high school English teachers that she should keep on with her writing, and that she did. Mom was very articulate and prolific in her writings.

Mom spent countless hours exploring in the Maine woods with our Dad. Their favorite area to explore, fish, hike, and pick wild berries was in the KIW area. They loved their cabin on Silver Lake (which they acquired in 1978) at KIW and they spent countless hours there. Ruth was never satisfied with seeing the end of a trail or road, always stating "Let's just go around the next corner." They likely fished every brook, lake, pond, and stream in KIW, and would hike endless miles to reach Mom's desired destination! Dad carried an 11.5' canoe, often long distances, to several of those bodies of water just so Mom could fish. Mom was a self-proclaimed woodsman and admits that she would have made a great hermit. Mom received a certificate of appreciation for her 25 years of service to the State of Maine for checking the water quality in Silver Lake at KIW and other lakes in Piscataquis County.

Mom had a deep love of nature and was a staunch environmentalist. Mom's happiest moments were those spent in the woods, on a body of water, or in her flower and vegetable gardens. She was an accomplished photographer. She particularly enjoyed photographing nature at its finest-flowers, birds, animals, and even certain insects. She once sat for 2 hours in order to shoot an amazing photograph of an Eastern Bluebird that had built a nest in a birdhouse built by Dad. Mom had a huge collection of photographs that date back several years. Until recently, Mom loved to make personalized cards using her own (not digitally enhanced) photos. What you see is what she photographed. She passed on this love to her children, two of whom are equally accomplished.

As children, we recall the huge gardens that were planted (much to our chagrin, as we all had to weed those gardens). She was ahead of her time in the "organic" craze, never using chemicals on her gardens. To this day, Mom insisted on buying organic food (with the exception of an occasional Fish Filet or KFC chicken pie!).

Mom was an accomplished seamstress, a skill she taught to her daughters. For years, she sewed her own clothes, and most of her husband's and children's clothing. Amber & I (Lisa) were proud to go to school on the first day of school each Sept. with a dress sewn by our Mom. This continued in to her elder years where she made pillows, Christmas tree skirts, table cloths, etc. Mom also enjoyed knitting and crocheting.

Mom was a lover of music. She played the cornet in the high school band, and later learned to play the piano and organ. Mom taught her own children how to play the piano. She had a beautiful singing voice, and enjoyed singing in church choirs and the annual Christmas Canata at the United Methodist Church in Milo.

Mom was a great lover of animals. In later years, she and Dad adopted several dogs (and a few cats) in to their home. Her hundreds of photographs were comprised of more pictures of nature, animals and birds than people!

Mom was an excellent cook. We have many fond memories of homemade bread, biscuits, baked beans, macaroni & cheese, pies, tarts, molasses cookies, jams & jellies from fruits picked in the woods woo or some abandoned apple orchard, fresh vegetables from the garden, and so much more.

Mom stated "you do some things in your life time and you enjoy them, but later in life it is difficult to keep this up. But, you are still grateful that you could do it". Mom was fiercely independent, and the loss of this total independence was the biggest challenge for her during the past 5 years.

Our family is especially grateful to the numerous caregivers who provided loving care to Mom while residing in her home in Dover; and, Erika Emery & Chris Urquhart at Memory Lane Assisted Living, where Mom had resided for the past 11 months.

Ruth was predeceased by her grandparents, parents, loving husband Eddie A. Cyr; sisters Marion Grinnell (deceased at age 2), Charlene (Grinnell) Robichaud, and Helen Beal; and brothers Charles E. Grinnell and Harold I. Grinnell. Ruth is survived by her children, son Joel E. (Jean) Cyr, daughters Lisa B. (Glendon) Carroll and Amber J. (Bachelder) (Peter) Carriveau; her "other" daughter Cynthia Freeman Cyr; grandchildren Samantha Bachelder and son Jaxxson Bedsaul, W. Roger Bachelder, III, and Molly Cyr & husband Anthony Moreira; several cousins, nieces, and nephews; and special friends Leola Pingree, Susan Stocks, and Phoebe Lund.

Those who wish to remember Ruth in a special way may make gifts in her memory to the Nature Conservancy, Attn: Treasurer, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203; or, to an environmental cause of your choosing.

Per Mom's request, services will be private for the family. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.