Wentworth, NH — Ruth Helen (Keneson) Tatham, 96, died Monday, May 23, at the Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill, with several family members at her side. She was born February 13, 1926, in Plymouth, NH, a daughter of David and Gladys Keneson.
Ruth grew up on Atwell Hill in Wentworth. Along with her siblings Ray and Alice and her best friend Edith (Chase) Hastings, she began her education in the one-room schoolhouse on Atwell Hill. She graduated from Orford High School as valedictorian of her class.
Ruth married Wilfred Tatham June 18, 1944, at the Wentworth Baptist Church on Atwell Hill. Following their marriage, the newlyweds moved to San Francisco, CA, where Wilfred worked at the US Navy Yard. Their first child, David, was born in CA.
Following their return to NH, Ruth worked in many cottage industries, such as separating mica for the nearby mine, creating cemetery baskets from locally grown alder, making balsam wreaths, and sewing baseballs for D&M Sporting Goods. She and Wilfred went on to have six more children. The family loved the outdoors and spent many hours hiking the nearby woods and mountains. Ruth taught all of her children to swim in the nearby swimming hole at the Baker River.
As the children grew, Ruth began working at outside jobs, including housecleaning, stitching at local factories, and caring for the elderly in their homes. She also gave back to her community as a member of the Wentworth Volunteer Fire Department.
Ruth had many hobbies — some out of necessity, such as sewing clothing and baking bread for her growing family. One of her lifelong interests was photography, which she continued to enjoy right up until her last days. She took thousands of photos of her family, but also loved and photographed flowers, clouds, trees, leaves, mountains, rivers, birds, animals, and all the beautiful things given to us by God.
Ruth was a very creative person who enjoyed learning and practicing various forms of art throughout her life. She had a lifelong love of reading and writing, keeping a journal for many years, and had begun writing a children’s book based on her early married trip to California in their “little green truck” — a ’37 Chevy.
She was a woman of strong faith and had been a member of Grace Communion International Church for over 60 years. She was deeply interested in people and their stories, and lived out her faith by showing God’s love to all she encountered.
In 2017, Ruth was awarded the Boston Post Cane as the oldest resident of Wentworth.
Ruth was predeceased by her husband, Wilfred Tatham, and also by parents David & Gladys Keneson, brother Ray Keneson and sister Alice Keneson. Ruth is survived by her 7 children: David Tatham (and wife Betty) of Enfield NH, Dawn Manion (and partner Bob) of Plymouth NH, Mark Tatham (and wife Eve) of Milford NH, Steve Tatham (and wife Sara) of Plymouth NH, Joel Tatham (and wife Chloe) of Bath NH, Andrew Tatham of North Hero VT and Carolyn Rakestraw (and husband Jonathan) of Tallahassee FL; and also by her former son-in-law Paul Davis Sr. and former daughter-in-law Pamela Tatham; 16 grandchildren: Michael Tatham, Amy Howe, Paul Davis Jr, Cheryl Davis, Colin Tatham, Heather Bartlett, Sean Tatham, Carrie Markey, Joanna Hutnyak, Travis Tatham, Corey Tatham, Chad Tatham, Heidi Tatham, Matthew Rakestraw, Charlotte Rakestraw, Andrew Rakestraw, 31 great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.
The funeral will be Saturday, June 18, at 2 pm at Grace Bible Church of the White Mountains in Wentworth, with burial immediately following at Foster Cemetery.
For more information or to offer an online condolence, please visit www.rickerfh.com
Ricker Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Woodsville is in charge of arrangements.
Published by Valley News on May 29, 2022.
