WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT — Ruth Gallant Buzzell, 91, of White River Junction, Vermont 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, Vermont to Ray Edward Gallant and Rena (McAllister) Gallant. Ruth had six siblings, Hugh, Bruce, Shirley, Morris, Beverly, and Robert, who are deceased.
Ruth attended Spaulding High School in Barre, Vermont from 1941 to 1942 then attended Hartford Public High School, where she graduated in 1945. She joined the Cadet Nurse Corp 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 Associate in Berlin, Vermont 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, Vermont on November 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 step children, 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 11:00 am at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Washington, Vermont. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bugbee Senior Center, 262 North Main Street, White River Junction, Vermont 05001-7027 and the Quechee Library Association (Wilder Club & Library), 1957 Quechee Main Street, P.O. Box 384, Quechee, Vermont 05059