Ruth Yanish

Ruth (Joyce) Yanish died peacefully at 102 years of age in Palm Beach Gardens, FL on April 16, 2024.

She was the youngest of six children born to Irish immigrants, John, and Anne Joyce, on Oct. 6, 1921, in Wakefield, MA. Her twin sister, Claire, sadly died at 2 months old, but God granted Ruth more than a century of life after Claire’s passing.

Ruth attended what is now Salem State University and became the first in her family to graduate college. She had a long career as a public-school teacher in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.

Ruth married Casimir “Chuck” Yanish in 1949 and, together, they raised five children, starting out in Yonkers, N.Y., and settling in Clarks Summit, PA, where Ruth lived for over 50 years. Her family was never affluent, yet Ruth and Chuck found a way to ensure their children were given every opportunity. Of a generation where few mothers worked outside the home, Ruth had a productive career. She spent the last several years of her life in Florida, in sunshine, and the company of her daughter, Joan.

Ruth’s second child has an intellectual disability. This inspired her to refocus her career from elementary to special education and to earn a master’s degree from Marywood College. She taught special needs students at a time when this field had tragically few resources and volunteered her time to serve organizations benefiting the mentally disabled.  Ruth wrote two books, Ruth Joyce Yanish’s Memoirs, and At Least They Always Rhymed, the latter a collection of Ruth’s poetry illustrated by her granddaughter, Katherine Ruth Yanish.

Ruth‘s life was remarkable both in its length and her grace. She focused on hard work in the service of others. Her deep Catholic faith supported her. No matter what obstacles life presented, she always faced them with positivity and humor, while engaging her remarkable strength and resilience. Her zest for life and non-judgmental manner was an inspiration. Ruth enjoyed each moment of conversation, each view of a flower, silly joke, old familiar tune, and the taste of ice cream.  She believed every day is a gift; Ruth didn’t say this, she lived it.

Her husband, Casimir, died in 2002. Ruth is survived by her children, Christine Levin and her husband, David, of Villanova, PA; Stephen Yanish of Scranton, PA; Michael Yanish and his wife, Bonnie, of Phoenix, AZ; Joan Eisleben and her husband, Karl, of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; and Lisa “Marie” Alborghetti and her husband, Stephen, of Windham, N. H. She was also blessed with grandchildren, Sarah D’Amario, Matthew Levin, Marissa “Missy” McCabe, Alex Yanish, Katherine “Kate” Yanish, Peter Alborghetti, and Nicholas Alborghetti; and great-grandchildren, Emma, Owen, and Audrey D’Amario, and Tilly Levin.

Funeral mass to be held on May 25^th at 10:00 at Saint Gregory’s Church, N Abington Rd, Clarks Green, PA

Donations to Ruth’s memory may be made to Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, online at www.goggi.org/give-now or mailed to 1715 East Tiffany Drive, West Palm Beach FL  33407 or Goodwill of Northern New England, online at www.goodwillnne.org/make-a-gift or mailed to 34 Hutcherson Drive, Gorham, ME 04038.  Or contribute to a charity of your choice.